By Endy Zemenides
Publication Date: 2026-02-16 20:35:00
President Donald Trump walks the South Lawn upon his arrival at the White House on February 9, 2026 in Washington. [Jose Luis Magana/AP]
In 480 B.C. In 400 BC the Athenians faced the end of the world as they knew it. Looking for a way to deal with the impending Persian invasion, they sought refuge in the Oracle at Delphi. After predicting the impending catastrophe, Pythia left a glimmer of hope: “A wall of wood alone will not be taken, a blessing to you and your children.”
With a similar sense of ominous anticipation, policymakers, intellectual and business leaders, and civil society representatives gathered in Washington in early February for the annual Delphi Economic Forum. Like the supplicants of the ancient oracle, they all came in search of answers – and went…
