If that weren’t enough, the S&P500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs on Friday, US eastern time, restoring all the gains lost during the trade wars of Trump’s first three months. Not even Trump’s cancellation of trade talks with Canada on Friday afternoon was enough to deter investors.
And he even slotted in a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, mediated by the US and signed earlier at the State Department.
Donald Trump (centre) speaks with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte (left). Credit: AP
In the Oval Office, Trump conducted a ceremony with top diplomats from both nations and declared it “a tremendous breakthrough”. The deal includes access to critical minerals for the US government and American companies.
Of course, there are caveats to all these achievements. Questions linger over the extent of the destruction at Fordow and Iran’s other nuclear facilities. Trump and his allies went overboard – not only by claiming “total obliteration” before the evidence was in, but also by their extreme overreaction to a preliminary intelligence report that suggested the damage could be limited.
Clearly, the mission was impressive and successful, and that won’t change if we learn later that the Iranians did manage to move some of their uranium or other materials. Trump says they did not.
The ceasefire between Israel and Iran could end at any moment, and in any case, Israel said it had already achieved its objectives, which undercuts the feat a little.
The NATO pledge is just that – a pledge. Trump has railed against Spain for being the lone refusenik, but in reality, few countries are expected to get to the full 5 per cent by the due date, 2035, if ever. Many of them now spend less than 2 per cent. Trump will be long out of office by then anyway. He won’t even be around when the spending plans are reviewed in 2029.
And the Supreme Court ruling, while a “giant win”, as Trump put it, does not determine the constitutionality of any policies. Indeed, the matter that triggered the decision on injunctions, an executive order to end birthright citizenship, is set for determination in October.
But all things considered, Trump had a blinder of a week. At home and abroad, he demonstrated the power he wields – not just as the officeholder but as a muscular, unpredictable and unapologetic user of that office. He showcased American military might to the world and incurred not a scratch in return. And he put his best case forward for the accolade he has long coveted – the Nobel Peace Prize.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, Fox News anchor and Trump cheerleader Jesse Watters said: “Donald Trump’s best week ever just got even better.”
For once, it wasn’t hyperbole.
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