By Douglas V. Gibbs
The media’s meltdown over the Alaska Peace Summit is as predictable as it is pathetic. The usual suspects — CNN, MSNBC, and the rest of the Trump-deranged echo chamber — are calling it a failure. Why? Because there wasn’t a signed treaty, a photo op with Zelenskyy, or a tearful handshake. But here’s the truth they refuse to acknowledge: Trump didn’t go to Alaska to ink a deal. He went to start a process.
And that, my friends, is the difference between a showman and a statesman.
Trump is a strategic genius they can’t seem to grasp, much less want to. Putin came in hot, demanding full control over the Donbas region. Zelenskyy refused to attend. The media spun it as chaos. But Trump? He saw opportunity. He knew that without Ukraine at the table, no deal could be made—and that’s precisely the point. You don’t rush peace. You build leverage.
The B-2 bomber flyover wasn’t just a flex—it was a message. A reminder. “Hey Vlad, remember that little stealth bird that turned your Iranian ally’s nuclear ambitions into ash?” That’s not saber-rattling. That’s strategic deterrence. That’s Trump reminding Putin that America’s strength isn’t just in its arsenal — it’s in its resolve.
Let’s not forget who the President of the United States is. Donald J. Trump is no push-over. This is classic Trump. The art of the deal isn’t about giving away the farm to get a handshake. It’s about knowing when to walk away. It’s about making the other guy sweat. And Trump? He’s got Zelenskyy sweating bullets right now.
Because here’s the kicker: Zelenskyy’s absence wasn’t a snub — it was a setup. Trump knows that if Ukraine stays out too long, the conversation moves on without them. That’s pressure. That’s leverage. That’s diplomacy with teeth.
Through a constitutionalist’s lens, this summit underscores a fundamental truth: foreign policy is not about appeasement — it’s about protecting national interest. Trump isn’t beholden to globalist expectations or media narratives. He’s beholden to the American people. And in that role, he’s playing the long game. This is about achieving peace, yes, but it is also about protecting American interests, and perhaps increasing our interests in the right place if we can – hence, the talk about rare mineral deals.
“No deal ’til there’s a deal,” Trump said. And he meant it. Because a bad deal — one that compromises sovereignty, emboldens aggressors, or weakens allies — is worse than no deal at all.
We have to remember, nothing happens instantly. Things take time. Peace is a process, not a performance with instant gratification. The Alaska Summit wasn’t a failure. It was a first move. A calculated, deliberate, and powerful opening gambit. Trump is guiding this process with the same instinctual brilliance that turned a real estate empire into a presidency. And while the media wrings its hands and Zelenskyy watches from the sidelines, Trump is setting the stage for something bigger.
Trust the process. Trust the man. Peace is coming — but only on Trump’s terms.
