Widespread Acclaim for President Trump’s Diplomatic Triumph

President Donald J. Trump’s indomitable resolve and masterful diplomacy culminated yesterday with the release of all remaining hostages, an end to the conflict in Gaza, and a robust foundation for sustainable peace. Amid whirlwind visits to Israel and Egypt, President Trump celebrated this generational victory for peace and heralded a new era for a region long plagued by strife.

President Trump’s defining global leadership united a diverse, bipartisan coalition of former Presidents, world leaders, experts, journalists, and others in widespread praise:

ABC News Chief International Correspondent James Longman: “I think today what I’ve been mostly struck by is Donald Trump’s sheer force of personality. There are not many men, not many leaders who can walk into the Knesset in Israel to such rapturous applause, such a warm welcome, to clearly know so many members of the Israeli leadership so personally. He’s been in the weeds on this. Then, less than an hour later, appear in a room of world leaders — Arab and Muslim leaders — and have the same kind of warm welcome. It really is his force of nature which has managed to make this happen.”

ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce: “An amazing accomplishment [for President Trump]… the praise is much deserved. He played a very pivotal role here — an incredibly pivotal role — in getting this deal across the finish line, in a way that, as he knows, his predecessor was unable to do.”

Agence France Presse Journalist Léon Bruneau: “US President Donald Trump has undeniably scored a diplomatic victory by helping to broker a truce for Gaza.”

NBC Nightly News Host Tom Llamas: “A remarkable diplomatic achievement.”

NBC News Chief International Correspondent Keir Simmons: “Trump left Egypt after a stunning display of personal and presidential power.”

NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Peter Alexander: “The President’s name echoing Israel’s parliament as he touted his landmark diplomatic success.”

NBC News National Security Editor David Rhode: “It’s to President Trump’s credit. He brought more pressure, again, as I said earlier, on Prime Minister Netanyahu than any other American President has to make this moment happen. He’s very personally committed to hostages.”

CBS Evening News Co-Host Tom Dickerson: “There is more hope for peace in the Middle East tonight than there has been for a very long time… This is the first phase of the Trump Peace Plan.”

Los Angeles Times Washington Bureau Chief Michael Wilner: “A significant U.S. diplomatic achievement that has ended hostilities in Gaza after two brutal years of war.”

MSNBC Co-Host Joe Scarborough: “Just an extraordinary day, and unlike I think any day I’ve ever seen, certainly coming out of the Middle East.”

NBC News Senior National Political Reporter Jonathan Allen: “What is clear today is that the remaining living Hamas-held hostages have been released, Israeli defense forces have pulled back to defensive positions, more aid is making its way into Gaza, and the United States — with Trump leading the way — is at the center of an international coalition dedicating itself to maintaining peace and rebuilding Gaza. It’s hard to find political leaders in the U.S., or elsewhere, who think those are bad outcomes.”

Sky News U.S. Correspondent Mark Stone: “The day was also an unquestionable and game-changing geopolitical achievement. Trump stopped the war, he stopped the killing, he forced Hamas to release all the hostages, he demanded Israel to free prisoners held without any judicial process, he enabled aid to be delivered to Gaza, and he committed everyone to a roadmap, of sorts, ahead. He did all that and more. He also made the Israel-Palestine conflict, which the world has ignored for decades, a cause that European and Middle Eastern nations are now committed to invest in. No one, it seems, can ignore Trump. Love him or loathe him, those are remarkable achievements.”

The Wall Street Journal Reporters Robbie Gramer and Ian Lovett: “President Trump scored a major foreign-policy win in Gaza by brokering the release of hostages from captivity and securing an end to the fighting between Israel and Hamas.”

The Washington Post Editorial Board: “In a region where the United States has had little diplomatic success in recent decades, the president can fairly claim a generational accomplishment.”

The Washington Post Intelligence Lead Global Security Analyst Josh Rogin: “Credit to Trump for realizing that America actually has the power to pressure both the Arab countries and Israel to do things that are in their shared interest — and that’s a good thing.”

Former President Joe Biden: “I commend President Trump and his team for their work to get a renewed ceasefire deal over the finish line.”

Former President Bill Clinton: “President Trump and his administration, Qatar, and other regional actors deserve great credit for keeping everyone engaged until the agreement was reached.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence: “All 20 living hostages are home thanks to the steadfast leadership of President Donald Trump and I join voices across America, Israel and around the world commending our president for bringing us to this historic day. Mr. President, your relentless pursuit of peace and steadfast support for Israel brought about this day of joy and relief for Israeli families and all who have suffered in the aftermath of the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7th. Thanks to your leadership, the people of Israel and the Middle East are now on the path to what we pray will be a just and lasting peace. God Bless You President @realDonaldTrump”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris: “Through diplomacy and persistence, today is an important first step toward a more hopeful future. I commend the leaders and partners whose efforts made this agreement possible, including the President and his team.”

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich: “It’s an extraordinary moment. Israel has been embattled for almost its entire — nearly 80 years — of existence, and suddenly Donald Trump comes along, changes the whole game. No American president has done anything like this.”

Former Obama Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta: “This achievement — and it is a significant achievement — would not have happened without United States leadership. President Trump deserves a lot of credit for bringing the parties together.”

Former Biden National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan: “I give credit to President Trump. I give credit to Witkoff and Kushner and Rubio. These are hard jobs… and to get to something like today takes a village, and it takes determination and really hard work.”

Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley: “After two long years, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief. This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. God Bless Israel. God Bless the United States. Congratulations to President Trump and his team for paving the way to peace.”

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew: “I’m trying to be very, very fair in giving praise where praise is due. I think without President Trump, this wouldn’t have happened. It may be through a style that is uncomfortable to many of us, but nonetheless, it’s due to his personal involvement, and I hope he continues to remain involved in a way that keeps this process moving forward — because I think it’s necessary.”

Former National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk: “It’s extraordinary day… I don’t think this deal could have come together without what’s happened over the last, really, the last ten months. The war in Iran — 12 Day War in Iran in June — was a strategic balance of power shifter in the region… There’s nothing like U.S. presidential leadership, and we saw that today. There’s a reason to be hopeful today.”

Former National Security Council Chief of Staff Fred Fleitz: “This gives Trump enormous leverage to solve other major conflicts. He’s now proven himself as an effective arbiter and peacemaker.”

Center for Strategic and International Studies Middle East Program Director Mona Yacoubian: “The President does deserve to take a victory lap considering what has been accomplished today — the release of the last 20 remaining hostages who were alive are alive in Gaza, the cessation of hostilities for now, the flowing in of much needed assistance into Gaza. These are important milestones.”

Middle East Institute Senior Fellow Paul Salem: “The return of these hostages and prisoners for their families and loved ones is a tremendous achievement. I think President Trump deserves a lot of credit for that, as well as the Arab mediators that put a lot of pressure on Hamas.”

The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius: “I can remember in the month or so after Oct. 7, an Israeli senior official saying to me, ‘We are so disoriented and traumatized by this war, the United States is going to have to make decisions for us.’ Joe Biden could never do that, and Donald Trump was able to do it — did it at the decisive moment.”

Ignatius: “So this is, as I said, a joyous day. Trump’s right to take credit for having gotten the world, Israel and Hamas, to this point.”

Batya Ungar-Sargon: “President Donald Trump has performed nothing short of a miracle by halting the war in Gaza and securing the release of 20 precious souls who had been languishing in Hamas captivity since Oct. 7.”

Presidential Historian Joe Meacham: “We should make no mistake about this: This is a victory for President Trump and for those who wish that we can govern ourselves at home, and around the world, not simply by brute force, but by ideas and civilized norms.”

Presidential Historian Mark Updegrove: “This is a big breakthrough for Donald Trump. This is a this is an important step forward.”

Rachael Bade: “Quite the achievement from President Trump. No doubt. The wall to wall coverage, and now videos of the hostages being reunited w/ their families, is incredibly moving. A nightmare for these folks, finally over.”

CNN Panelist Scott Jennings: “As an American, my heart couldn’t be more full. The United States of America today in its President, Donald Trump, is at the forefront of the most important thing going on in this world — the release of these hostages and the possibility of a standing peace in the Middle East, where there simply just hasn’t been any. And so as an American, the fact that we’re leading this effort, that we’re leading this coalition, that the President was able to bring the Arab states together, to get Netanyahu and that relationship they have, in line enough to pull this off — I mean, it makes my heart so full that this is the power of the United States of America.”

Patrick Bet-David: “[President Trump] got it done… This is a monumental moment for the world.”