Trump's Daedalus problem

Is the president a high-flying genius, or will he be doomed by his own hubris?

President Trump as Daedalus.
(Image credit: Illustrated | P. S. Art Design Studio/Alamy Stock Photo, Science History Images/Alamy Stock Photo, Patrick Guenette/Alamy Stock Photo)

Like the recent travails of Dr. Ronny Jackson and Michael Cohen, the story of Icarus and his father, Daedalus, is a cautionary tale.

The Greek myth's most famous character is Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun and paid the ultimate price for his hubris, but the main character is really Daedalus. At this stage in Donald Trump's presidency, it isn't clear which of the two characters America's 45th president most resembles, but his tenure — in fact, his entire career — is littered with Icaruses.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.