Staff Reports
At the White House this week, it was not President Trump, but rather Monica Crowley, the Chief of Protocol, who was first in line to welcome world leaders for a historic meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. With American flags proudly on display, the presidential reception was a tapestry of grandeur meant to showcase the might of U.S. diplomacy. Crowley orchestrated the event with the same deftness she demonstrated days earlier at the summit in Alaska with Vladimir Putin. Her task as the top protocol officer is no small feat — it’s about ensuring every nod, handshake, and bouquet of flowers screams “America means business.”
Imagine the whirlwind: a triumphant return from Alaska on Air Force One at an ungodly hour, only to dive headlong into prepping for another major summit mere hours away. Crowley, no stranger to high stakes, jumped into action, driven by the energy of President Trump who, heroically, had been burning the midnight oil with European leaders. Despite the breakneck pace, the White House pulled off a sizeable diplomatic feat, hosting eight world leaders seamlessly. Who needs sleep when the opportunity for peace is on the line?
The Alaskan summit offers a peek into the nuanced ballet of modern-day diplomacy. It’s not just about the rich hues of the red carpet or the symmetrical elegance of floral arrangements. It’s about power moves, like fighter jets screeching across the sky, leaving the likes of President Putin with no doubt about America’s might. Optics, as they say, are everything. It’s a bit like setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner — you hope the guests don’t leave hungry or offended, but instead convinced you run the best show in town.
The crowning moment, of course, was when President Trump, ever the showman, arranged for a fleet of stealth bombers and fighter jets to blaze across the skies, much to Putin’s wide-eyed astonishment. It was a scene straight from an action thriller – all flash and flair, leaving quite the impression. Flexing America’s military muscle with bold gestures, as Trump is wont to do, communicated American strength with clarity and purpose. Sure, some critics might call it over-the-top, but isn’t that just a little bit part and parcel of the Trump brand?
As Crowley turns her focus to monumental upcoming events like America’s 250th anniversary and sporting spectacles such as the World Cup and the Olympics, there’s no doubt she and her team will bring the same meticulous, albeit flamboyant, approach. It seems altogether fitting that these grandiose occasions occur under President Trump’s watch, given his knack for transforming the mundane into the magnificent. So while plans for America’s big birthday bash and sports extravaganzas unfold, one might find themselves saying, “Only in Trump’s America.” After all, when it comes to show-stopping diplomacy, sometimes bigger is indeed better.
