In an event that brought together history, humor, and unexpected warmth, Peggy Noonan, a columnist known for her sharp critique of Donald Trump, finally crossed paths with the former president after years of intentionally steering clear.
Fox News reported that Noonan, a prominent Wall Street Journal columnist, met Donald Trump for the first time at a recent editorial board gathering, an encounter she had avoided for nearly a decade.
The meeting unfolded at a Wall Street Journal editorial board event, marking the first time the two individuals, who have publicly clashed, met face-to-face. Noonan, who has criticized Trump in her past writings, had resisted such a meeting for over eight years.
According to Noonan, her avoidance stemmed from a fear that Trump’s charismatic nature might compromise her impartiality as a journalist.
From 2015 through 2016, during Trump's campaign for the presidency, Noonan consistently declined requests by Trump’s team to meet him.
Her decision to finally participate in the WSJ board meeting came when Trump visited the newspaper himself. Here, Noonan felt it appropriate to engage directly, given Trump’s appearance at her journalistic turf.
As she awaited Trump’s arrival at the meeting, seated beside Paul Gigot, the editorial page editor, Noonan revealed that she had not previously met Trump—news that took Gigot by surprise. Her decision to attend was rooted in a sense of fairness that outweighed her previous apprehensions.
Upon arrival, Trump greeted Noonan with cordiality, addressing her with flattering compliments. The personal nature of his introduction seemed to confirm her long-standing suspicion that he would be both “charming and funny,” a combination she suspected would influence her role as an observer.
Though the meeting occurred two or three weeks ago, it was a moment Noonan reflected upon with a blend of warmth and bewilderment.
She acknowledged their tumultuous history, saying she had occasionally criticized him harshly in her writings, and he had retaliated likewise.
During the off-the-record discussion, Trump's remarks were noted for their humor, boldness, and occasionally inappropriate nature, particularly concerning foreign leaders. This candid side of Trump surprisingly left a lasting impression on Noonan, who noted his comments were not only entertaining but also refreshingly unfiltered.
Noonan expressed that her earlier instincts about Trump were accurate. Reflecting on her decision, she acknowledged that meeting Trump earlier, back in 2015, might indeed have swayed her perspectives.
Noonan has articulated her thoughts on Trump’s influence in recent years, observing the wider implications of his leadership on American society.
She shared on Fox News her theory that the country is undergoing substantial shifts following Trump’s electoral triumphs. According to her, many Americans feel uneasy about the direction of the 21st century, a sentiment she believes Trump himself shares, which partly explains his election victories.
In her analysis, Noonan suggests that more than half of the country appears to be reacting against established norms.
She sees this trend as a significant pushback against establishment forces that have dominated for decades.
Noonan’s acknowledgment of the nation’s current trajectory reflects the complex nature of Trump’s political legacy, one that is marked as much by controversy as by a distinct cultural shift. During the meeting, Noonan’s intuition—both of Trump’s demeanor and the broader political landscape—was clearly validated.
