More than 2,000 years ago, the Greeks erected a massive bronze statue to honor the Sun God Helios. The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is usually depicted as straddling the harbor and guarding the city.
On Monday, we witnessed a living Colossus straddling the modern world, and it was indeed a wonder to behold. First, Donald Trump received a hero’s welcome in Israel after brokering the release of every living hostage held by Hamas. The Israeli Knesset cheered the president with one ovation after another, while Jews and Arabs danced in the street and lauded the ‘President of Peace.’ Even some of his most virulent critics gave the president credit, painful as it must have been. Don’t forget, many of them had assured us that a second Trump presidency would inevitably lead to more war and the end of American prestige.
Then, after greeting newly-freed hostages and their families, the president was off to Egypt for a summit at which he signed the peace agreement that could transform the Middle East. Officially, there were more than 20 ‘world leaders’ at the summit in Egypt, but in fact, there was only one World Leader. Donald Trump was Michael Jordan; they were the bench warmers. Trump was the Border Collie; they were the flock. Trump was Gladys Knight; they were the … well, you get the picture.
It’s worth remembering that this one day was a mere snapshot, not a full-length motion picture. The Trump presidency will endure turmoil and crises – perhaps economic calamities, messy wars, scandals. The only thing predictable is that the administration will face challenges that cannot be predicted at the moment. But for one Monday in October, Donald Trump stood at the pinnacle, the Mount Everest of power, influence, and adulation. He will, of course, bask in that glory for a while, and so will his supporters. It was a remarkable day worth more than all the Nobel Prizes in the world.
By the way, the soaring and wondrous Colossus of Rhodes stood for just 54 years before being toppled by an earthquake. President Trump will now have to withstand the many earthquakes and tremors sure to come his way.
