During a pivotal moment of captive exchanges between Israel and Hamas, former US President Donald Trump addressed the Israeli Knesset, framing the event as the dawn of a new era. He proclaimed, “This is not only the end of a war, this is the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God.” Trump, basking in the spotlight, lauded the prisoner swap – 20 Israelis for 250 Palestinian detainees – attributing the success to his unspecified “20-point plan.”
Following his Knesset speech, Trump proceeded to Egypt for a summit to formalize the initial phase of his peace initiative. This plan, according to his pronouncements, included a stabilization force in Gaza, Hamas handing over governance to a Palestinian committee, and a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump himself, alongside former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. The event was a spectacle of diplomacy and self-congratulation, with Trump acknowledging his advisors and Israeli leaders.
However, a closer examination of Trump’s claims reveals a pattern of exaggeration and half-truths. His assertion of having “settled 8 wars in 8 months” is questionable; while some conflicts saw de-escalation, others either reignited or remained unresolved. Truces he helped broker in Africa and between Cambodia and Thailand proved short-lived, and disputes in Europe and between Egypt and Ethiopia persisted.
Furthermore, Trump’s declaration of having “dropped 14 bombs on Iran’s nuclear sites, obliterating them” lacks definitive proof. While some damage may have occurred, official confirmation of complete destruction is absent, leaving the claim in the realm of speculation.
His critique of the Iran nuclear deal also warrants scrutiny. The 2015 agreement, largely adhered to by Tehran and confirmed by international inspectors, was abandoned by Trump in 2018. Experts suggest that the withdrawal, not the deal itself, led to renewed concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump’s assertion that Obama and Biden fostered “hatred toward Israel” is also contested by historians and policy analysts. Both administrations significantly increased military and political support for Israel, including substantial aid packages. The claim that Obama and Biden “did nothing with the Abraham Accords” overlooks Obama’s tenure preceding the accords and Biden’s efforts to expand them, efforts derailed by the escalating conflict in Gaza and its devastating humanitarian consequences.