Miranda Devine: Trump Derangement Syndrome is on the way out prezs alpha-male greatness shines after peace deal
It’s early days but there are signs that Trump Derangement Syndrome is on the way out.And the Middle East peace deal Donald Trump pulled off with sheer force of personality is part of the reason.In a whirlwind 36 hours, the president addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem to hail a “new dawn in the Middle East,” and then flew to Sharm el-Sheikh to sign the Gaza peace deal, flanked by the leaders of Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, who had helped forced Hamas’ hand.European leaders took a back seat and meekly kowtowed to Trump.On the sidelines in Egypt, Trump gave weasely Emmanuel Macron a bone-crusher handshake that lasted an excruciating 26 seconds, as the French president tried not to wince.Trump also delivered one of the most humiliating political moments ever captured on video to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.“Where is the United Kingdom? Where’s my friend? Come here,” Trump said as the delighted PM bounced forward to join him at the podium.
But Trump just shook his hand and said, “It’s very nice that you’re here,” before turning his back and continuing his speech as Starmer slunk back to his seat in shame.It may have been an inadvertent snub, or it may have been one of the calibrated social maneuvers that Trump plays like a Stradivarius while acting oblivious.The ambiguity is part of the genius.After all, the UK and France delayed the peace deal with their symbolic grandstanding about a “Palestinian state” before the UN General Assembly last month.
Both leaders deserved a gentle poke as they tried to share the peacemakers’ glory.At some point, Trump also applied his EQ to eyeballing the Hamas leaders face to face, telling them menacingly that they were dealing with a different kind of president from the last one.They understood.Trump was in his element, exuding the alpha-male energy that has been all but outlawed in the West.
He must look to the Europeans like Shakespeare depicted Julius Caesar: “Bestride the narrow world like a Colo...