WASHINGTON—Iran was using negotiations with the United States to stall for time as it stockpiled materials needed to reach weapons-grade enrichment level, senior administration officials revealed this week. Once President Donald Trump was made aware of the deception, he decided Iran was directly threatening the United States and launched Operation Epic Fury.
The president shared Tuesday that the negotiations made him believe Iran was going to attack first. &#8220;I felt strongly about that,&#8221; he emphasized. Asked whether Israel forced the hand of the United States, he responded, &#8220;No, I might have forced their hand. We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first.&#8221;
The president&#8217;s decision stemmed at least in part from Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner&#8217;s time at the table with Iranian negotiators, senior administration officials said on a call with reporters on Tuesday afternoon. Iranian negotiators, during several rounds of meetings, came to the Trump team with an agreement that allegedly addressed the needs of the Iranian people over the next decade.
Because the agreement was needs-based, they asked only for enrichment they might need over the next decade, tying the agreement to a program they have to build out more nuclear facilities. Trump&#8217;s negotiators asked if they could take the agreement back to the United States so they could have other nuclear experts from the CIA, War Department, and State Department weigh in. They were refused.
That was a tell, one senior administration official shared — one of many throughout the exchange.
<div id="attachment_1053081" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trumps-negotiators-realized-iran-was-lying-to-stall-for-time/explosions-heard-in-tehran-as-new-israeli-airstrikes-hit-iranian-capital" target="_blank" rel="attachment noopener wp-att-1053081"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1053081" class="wp-image-1053081 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263662126-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263662126-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263662126-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263662126-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263662126.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Smoke rises from the area after it was targeted in attacks as a series of explosions are heard in Tehran, Iran on March 01, 2026.  (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
After reading through the agreement, Witkoff and Kushner were dismayed that the Iranians asked to enrich five times more uranium than was allowed under the Iran nuclear deal. They also discovered a chart at the end of the agreement, on the back of the seventh page, that attested to the amount of enrichment they would need for each new project that they were planning.
Importantly, it centered on the Tehran Research Reactor.
As its name suggests, this reactor was purportedly meant for civilian research, unlike the industrial nuclear reactors destroyed in Operation Midnight Hammer.
&#8220;Everybody all along out there has been under the impression that that&#8217;s what it&#8217;s been doing,&#8221; one senior administration official shared.
Since Operation Midnight Hammer, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not been able to make inspections in Iran, which senior administration officials said was yet another tell that the Iranians were being deceptive.
Witkoff and Kushner were in conversations with the IAEA about the Iranians&#8217; agreement, and, unfortunately for Iran, the IAEA knew how much existing fuel Iran had at the Tehran Research Reactor. That number was &#8220;roughly seven to eight years of what they need to burn on an annual basis,&#8221; a senior administration official shared.
Witkoff and Kushner did some fast math. They realized that the research reactor had not been making any radioisotopes, and that the seven to eight year supply of fuel that Iran had been retaining there was &#8220;being stockpiled along with all the other stockpiling that had been done at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.&#8221;
&#8220;So the claim that they were using a research reactor to do good for the Iranian people was a complete and false pretense,&#8221; a senior administration official shared.
The Trump negotiators recognized that the Iranians are incredibly clever, doing everything internally in Iran to bring that enrichment process to fruition. If the United States had allowed them to continue their work for a year, the administration officials said, Iran could have gone from having 460 kg of weapons-grade material to 1,500 kg of it.
About 42 kg of 90% enriched uranium is required to make one nuclear warhead, according to the IAEA, and Iran had material enough for 11 bombs at the beginning of these negotiations.
Within a short period of time, the senior administration official said, they could have had 1,500 kg of weapons-grade material, meaning Iran would have had not just 11 bombs, but up to 50 bombs.
&#8220;That is literally the place that we were sailing into,&#8221; the official said.
<div id="attachment_1053075" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trumps-negotiators-realized-iran-was-lying-to-stall-for-time/president-trump-convenes-board-of-peaces-inaugural-meeting" target="_blank" rel="attachment noopener wp-att-1053075"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1053075" class="wp-image-1053075 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2262492660-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2262492660-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2262492660-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2262492660-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2262492660.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</div>
The Iranians were claiming they need research reactors that start at a 20% enrichment rate, saving them roughly two months before they get to weapons grade at 90%, the officials shared, calling this a &#8220;complete lie.&#8221; Witkoff and Kushner figured this all out at the table, and the IAEA &#8220;supported and attested&#8221; to their findings that Iran was never enriching at TRR for civil purposes.
&#8220;They had never made isotopes there,&#8221; explained one administration official. &#8220;They had done a couple of medical tests to sort of disguise what they were really doing, and in reality, what they were doing was they were stockpiling.&#8221;
There were many other things that made Kushner and Witkoff realize the Iranians were being deceptive, but when they discovered what Iran was really doing at the Tehran Research Reactor, above everything else, it was &#8220;very, very clear&#8221; what was really going on. Iran was telling the world they were developing isotopes for medicinal purposes and &#8220;all the while not using any of it for medicinal purposes, in fact, stockpiling for some other use.&#8221;
&#8220;The only other use it could be would be to bring it towards a weapons-grade enrichment level,&#8221; said an administration official.
Witkoff and Kushner went into the meetings determined to assess for the president whether they could make a deal on his primary objectives, and if they could, to find out how long it would take to get that deal done, whether Iran would comply with the deal, and whether it was enforceable.
But clearly, all along, they were trying to hide their nuclear enrichment program underground, one senior administration official said, as well as building another one that doesn&#8217;t have air shafts attached to it — since Operation Midnight Hammer&#8217;s bunker-busting bombs went through the air shafts in order to destroy the nuclear facilities.
Witkoff and Kushner had studied the Iranians and their previous efforts to negotiate with the United States, and they knew ahead of time that the Iranians were adept at making short-term deals to buy time. In this case, the senior administration officials said, it appears that the Iranians were hoping to stall until Trump was no longer president, and the United States might be less observant about how Iran was stockpiling or what deals Iran was able to swing.
Given that the United States was amassing such a powerful force outside Iran, officials were surprised that Iranian officials would not cooperate.
&#8220;We really thought that they would show real movement towards creating a real deal,&#8221; one administration official said. &#8220;All we got were games and tricks and denials.&#8221;
In one telling anecdote, Trump&#8217;s negotiators reminded Iran that their facilities needed to be above ground.
&#8220;Well then it could be bombed!&#8221; the Iranian negotiators reportedly said, to which team Trump told them: &#8220;If there&#8217;s nothing nefarious being done there, then you shouldn&#8217;t be worried about a bomb.&#8221;
&#8220;I think now we&#8217;re seeing with their attacks all over the region, the dangers that they pose and the capabilities that they&#8217;ve created over time,&#8221; a senior administration official shared. &#8220;And that really is what we concluded from the negotiations.&#8221;

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMP

How Trump’s Negotiators Realized Iran Was Lying To Stall For Time

Donald Trump

Iran

Jared Kushner

Steve Witkoff

White House

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that member states of his newly-formed Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion toward humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
Trump said the commitment will be formally unveiled on Thursday, February 19, at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. In addition to financial pledges, Trump said participating nations have committed thousands of personnel to both an International Stabilization Force and to local police units to maintain security and peace for Gazans.
“On February 19th, 2026, I will again be joined by Board of Peace Members at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., where we will announce that Member States have pledged more than $5 billion toward the Gaza Humanitarian and Reconstruction efforts,” said President Trump.
Trump outlined what he described as the board’s early achievements.
“The Board of Peace has unlimited potential. Last October, I released a Plan for the permanent end to the Conflict in Gaza, and our Vision was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council. Shortly thereafter, we facilitated Humanitarian Aid at record speed, and secured the release of every living and deceased Hostage. Just last month, two dozen distinguished Founding Members joined me in Davos, Switzerland, to celebrate its official formation, and present a bold Vision for the Civilians in Gaza, and then, ultimately, far beyond Gaza—world peace.”
Trump ratified the board&#8217;s charter during a ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos; the organization, he says, is designed to bring long-term peace and economic prosperity to Gaza, which has had an economy largely supported by aid. “85% of the GDP of Gaza has been aid for a long time,” said Senior Board Official and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. “That’s not sustainable. It doesn&#8217;t give these people dignity; it doesn’t give them hope.”
According to the board’s leadership structure, there are seven executive members tasked with overseeing different areas of Gaza’s transition, including reconstruction, funding, and capital mobilization. Those members include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former U.K. Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel.
Member states listed as participating were Morocco, Argentina, Bahrain, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia. Many European countries are not on the list, and some have even <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/22/who-is-on-trumps-gaza-board-of-peace.html">rejected</a> invitations to participate.
 The BBC reports countries cited Russian President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s invitation as a reason for hesitating to join the board. France <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/us-president-donald-trump-threatens-tarrifs-french-wine-emmanuel-macron-peace-board/">claimed</a> the decision was that the board would undermine the United Nations framework. Shortly after, Trump made a comment that he would put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and then French President Emmanuel Macron would join.
&#8220;We have taken note of Mr. Trump&#8217;s statements on wines and champagnes,&#8221; responded a French official. &#8220;As we have always emphasized, tariff threats to influence our foreign policy are unacceptable and ineffective.&#8221;
Critics call the board &#8220;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/20/trumps-board-of-peace-is-an-imperial-court-completely-unlike-what-was-proposed">a vanity project</a>&#8221; that will not actually bring peace to Gaza.

President Trump And EPA Administrator Zeldin Make An Announcement From The White House

Inside Trump’s $5 Billion Gaza Move That Could Shape Middle East’s Next Chapter

Gaza

Global Politics

Israel

Middle East

World

U.S. envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for over three hours to discuss a potential deal aimed at ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
Trump confidants Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with newly-appointed Board of Peace senior advisor Josh Greunbaum, met with Putin at midnight Thursday as the World Economic Forum in Davos comes to a close.
A video clip shared by the Kremlin on Telegram showed Putin, joined by his foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, and special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, shaking hands with the envoys prior to the meeting.
The group discussed the 20-point peace plan to end the Russian invasion, which has been held up due to key disagreements on Russian demands for land in Eastern Ukraine, much of which Ukraine has successfully defended at this point in the war.
The outcome of the meeting was unclear in the immediate aftermath of the talks, which were held shortly after President Trump said a deal was &#8220;reasonably close&#8221; and Witkoff <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-meets-us-envoys-late-night-talks-ukraine-2026-01-22/">said</a> a deal hinged on one last issue, according to Reuters.
Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hours earlier at Davos, describing the conversation as &#8220;good&#8221; to reporters aboard Air Force One.
&#8220;We&#8217;re discussing things that have been discussed for six or seven months, and he [Zelensky] came, and he said he wants to make a deal because I wasn&#8217;t necessarily sure. I think he should want to make a deal,” Trump said. “President Putin would like to make a deal. I think that President Zelensky would like to make a deal.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his meeting with President Zelensky in Davos: &#8220;We&#8217;re discussing things that have been discussed for six or seven months and he came and he said he wants to make a deal because I wasn&#8217;t necessarily sure. I think he should want to make a deal.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/89LxjlmJTs">pic.twitter.com/89LxjlmJTs</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014494433190817922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Zelensky blasted European leaders during his Davos speech on Thursday for what he called their inaction against Putin.
&#8220;Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today,&#8221; Zelensky <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-22/putin-starts-kremlin-talks-with-us-envoys-witkoff-and-kushner">said</a>. &#8220;Where is the line of leaders who are ready to act?&#8221;

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-CONFLICT-US-DIPLOMACY

Trump Pushes Ukraine Peace Deal As Kushner, Witkoff Hold Talks With Putin

Davos

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff appeared at Davos on Thursday as President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace was formally unveiled at the World Economic Forum, where Kushner and Witkoff discussed future plans for Gaza.
The remarks by U.S. officials framed the Gaza agreement not simply as a ceasefire, but as the opening phase of an ambitious attempt to fundamentally reshape Gaza’s future. While Rubio emphasized President Trump’s role in breaking what many viewed as an intractable conflict, Kushner and Witkoff focused on security, governance, and economic transformation as the pillars of a postwar Gaza.
Witkoff described the Gaza deal as something “the world thought was impossible and unattainable,” recalling that when President Trump tasked him and Kushner with the effort, the directive was simple: “We had to try.” He emphasized that the outcome went beyond the return of hostages, saying, “We have achieved a peace deal in Gaza. We have brought the hostages home. All of the bodies, except for one, and we will bring that body home, too.”
But Witkoff stressed that the most consequential achievement was intangible: “Maybe most importantly, we have created a sense of hope for what the future can bring.” Kushner then outlined what comes after hope — implementation. Reflecting on the moment the deal was finalized, he said, “It was just over 100 days ago that we got the final deal done, and everyone was celebrating and joyous about the hostages coming home and the end to this long war that nobody thought was possible.” But he admitted that celebration quickly gave way to urgency: “Steve and I were panicking, saying, ‘What do we do next? How do you implement peace?’”
Economically, Kushner laid out a sharp break from Gaza’s historical dependence on aid. “Eighty-five percent of the GDP of Gaza has been aid for a long time,” he said. “That’s not sustainable. It doesn’t give these people dignity. It doesn’t give them hope.” Instead, the plan is to apply “free market economy principles” and bring private investment, jobs, and opportunity. “We want to bring the same mindset, the same approach, to a place like Gaza to give these people the ability to thrive and have a good life,” he explained.
“Hamas&#8217;s mission statement was: ‘We need to destroy the state of Israel,'&#8221; Kushner stated. “That has not worked well for the people, as we&#8217;ve seen. &#8230; But without security, nobody&#8217;s going to make investments, nobody&#8217;s going to come build there. We need investments in order to start giving jobs. &#8230; There&#8217;s a master plan. We&#8217;ll be doing it in phasing. In the Middle East, they build cities like this in three years. &#8230; We&#8217;ve already started removing the rubble and doing some of the demolition. And then New Gaza. It could be a hope. Could be a destination, have a lot of industry, and really be a place that the people there can thrive, [and] have great employment. Once this starts going, we think there should be 100% full employment and opportunity for everybody.”
Together, Witkoff and Kushner framed Gaza’s future as a test case for the implementation of peace itself — one that hinges not on speeches or resolutions, but on demilitarization, investment, and the belief that even the most entrenched conflicts can be solved.

Day Three Of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026

‘New Gaza’: Trump’s Board Of Peace Unveils Ambitious Postwar Vision At Davos

Top officials from the United States and Ukraine met in Florida on Sunday to discuss the framework of a possible peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former adviser, met in Miami with Ukraine’s delegation led by Rustem Umerov, the head of head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
“The end goal, obviously, is not just the end of the war, obviously–that’s central and fundamental. We want to see an end of the killing and the death and the suffering, and I’m sure the Ukrainian side, I know they do, as well,” said Rubio in <a href="https://x.com/ralakbar/status/1995151907892154452">remarks</a> before the meeting. “But it’s also about securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity.”
Umerov thanked Trump’s negotiation team for their support in brief remarks after Rubio’s.
“We are discussing about the future of Ukraine, about the security of Ukraine, about no repetition of aggression of Ukraine, about prosperity of Ukraine, about how to rebuild Ukraine. And we are thankful for the efforts of United States and its team to helping us. U.S. is hearing us, U.S. is supporting us, U.S. is beside us,” said Umerov.
The delegations met as the two sides and Russia continue to hammer out revisions to Trump’s original 28-point framework for peace in Ukraine. The starting offer proposed by the United States reportedly received stiff objections from Ukrainian officials over a cap to Ukraine’s military, ceding territory not under Russia’s direct control, and other issues.
“The American side is demonstrating a constructive approach, and in the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1994823440860078412">said</a>. “The Ukrainian delegation has the necessary directives, and I expect the guys to work in accordance with clear Ukrainian priorities.”
Substantial revisions have since been made to initial peace plan, though the specifics have been guarded from the public. Ukraine has sought security guarantees and rejected suggestions of ceding additional land to Russia. Russia has insisted that Ukraine abandon “occupied territories.&#8221;
Last week, Yuri Ushakov, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that the Kremlin had received the latest version of the peace framework but declined to offer an opinion on it.
“This isn’t an official one, but we do have the document. We haven’t discussed it with anyone yet because the points in it require truly serious analysis and discussion,” said Ushakov, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/30/europe/ukraine-russia-peace-talks-miami-florida-intl">CNN</a>.

Miami meeting

Marco Rubio, Top Ukraine Officials Hammer out ‘Framework’ For Peace In Miami Meeting

Marco Rubio, Top Ukraine Officials Hammer out 'Framework' For Peace In Miami Meeting

Marco Rubio

United States

Speaking on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Trump negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff bluntly rebutted the charge of “genocide” that has been hurled at Israel as it fought its war of survival against the terrorist group Hamas.
Asked by host Lesley Stahl, “Would you say now, having been there, that it was genocide?,” Kushner declared, “No. No,” as Witkoff added, “Absolutely not. No, no, there was a war being fought.”
Kushner detailed what his team sees as the next phase after the cease-fire they arranged, which allowed Israeli hostages taken by Hamas to be returned.
“You can&#8217;t replace a corrupt government with another corrupt government,” Kushner said of Hamas. “So the goal here is to set up a transparent, good government. This can be very, very difficult to do, but we&#8217;re in the very early phases of trying to accomplish that.&#8221;
Stahl said, “Part of the plan is the reconstruction, the building, rebuilding of Gaza. And — you&#8217;re builders. You&#8217;ve been in real estate. As you said, it&#8217;s extremely complex. Tell us more about the plan and how much it&#8217;s gonna cost. Where is the money gonna come from? And who&#8217;s gonna award the contracts?”
Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to <a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">DailyWire.com/Subscribe</a> to join now.
“You know, the estimates are in the $50 billion range,” Witkoff replied. “It might be a little bit less; it might be a little bit more. I happen to think that that&#8217;s not a lot of money in that region. You have governments that are gonna jump on in &#8230; you&#8217;ll see European participation and so forth.”
“We have plans already,” he continued. “We have a master plan already. And by the way — and Jared&#8217;s been pushing this and we&#8217;re working together on it — and I think if the world saw the progress so far they&#8217;d be pretty impressed.”
“By the way, none of the reconstruction money is gonna be going in until you have terror-free zones, because nobody wants to invest this money into a place where it&#8217;s just gonna get destroyed again by terrorism,” Witkoff elaborated.
“If Gaza is starting to show signs of being peaceful and not a threat to Israel, there&#8217;s nothing more that Israel would like more than to not have to have a heavy military presence there,” Kushner said.
Stahl turned to the antisemitism that has mushroomed since the October 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1200 Israelis, saying, “It seems that this war has created a rash of antisemitism everywhere.”
“Well, that&#8217;s unacceptable,” Witkoff replied.
“And it&#8217;s even going on in the United States of America,” Stahl pointed out.
“Well, that&#8217;s my point,” Witkoff said, then emphasized that President Trump agreed, adding, “That&#8217;s unacceptable. And that&#8217;s the president&#8217;s position.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-FBL-WC-CLUB-2025-TRUMP

Trump Peace Team Rebukes Gaza Genocide Accusations: ‘There Was A War Being Fought’

Trump Peace Team Rebukes Gaza Genocide Accusations: 'There Was A War Being Fought'

60 Minutes

Hamas

Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken attempted to credit his boss, former President Joe Biden, with laying the framework for President Donald Trump&#8217;s historic deal in Gaza — the deal that has so far secured the release of all remaining living hostages and will, if followed, end the war between Israel and the terror group Hamas.
Blinken, who was serving as the nation&#8217;s top diplomat when Hamas militants breached the Israeli border and slaughtered more than 1,200 men, women, and children on October 7, 2023, was part of the initial efforts to reach a ceasefire and the return of some 250 hostages who were also abducted on that day. And while he did give President Trump nominal credit for getting an agreement across the finish line, he made it clear that he believed Biden deserved praise for taking the first steps in that direction.
&#8220;In Gaza today, the guns are largely silent. If all goes as planned, the remaining Israeli hostages will return home. Palestinians will get the relief they desperately need and deserve. Nothing can erase the pain and loss of the past two years. But there is real hope of building on this step to finally end the war,&#8221; Blinken began a series of posts on X. &#8220;President Trump and his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner deserve our collective thanks for producing this ceasefire and the renewed possibility of lasting peace.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
(2/12) First, what changed to make this breakthrough possible? Hamas is finally and fully isolated. Arab states and Turkey have said “enough.” The misery Hamas provoked and would allow to persist has delegitimized it among most Gazans. And Hamas realized that the cavalry (Iran,…
— Antony Blinken (@ABlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABlinken/status/1977076426932166686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He then laid out the reasons he believed the deal had finally come to fruition — beginning with the fact that Hamas had been &#8220;finally and fully isolated&#8221; but failing to acknowledge the Trump administration&#8217;s active role in enforcing that isolation. He also noted that Hamas had learned the &#8220;cavalry&#8221; – meaning Hezbollah, the Houthis, and even Iran — would not come to their aid in Gaza, but again omitted the fact that Trump had put pressure on Iran to ensure exactly that outcome.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;_gl=1*sxxrkd*_gcl_au*MTcyMjkzNDgyNi4xNzUzNzAyOTg2LjE0NTM3NjMxNTUuMTc1NTYwMTM0MS4xNzU1NjAxMzQx*_ga*MTM1OTk4Njg2NS4xNzA2NzE2NTAy*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*czE3NjAzNzAzNzEkbzQ2OCRnMSR0MTc2MDM3MTM3NCRqNjAkbDAkaDA." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a> 
&#8220;In the coming days we can expect to see joyful images: of hostages reunited with their loved ones and the people of Gaza getting respite from the war and receiving the help they need,&#8221; Blinken continued, flashing back to the Biden administration and the early ceasefire-for-hostages deals. &#8220;We’ve seen these images before. Under President Biden’s watch, we secured the release of 135 hostages and, in January 2025 we handed over a ceasefire with Israeli forces pulling back, tens of thousands of aid trucks going into Gaza and a post conflict plan for a permanent end to hostilities.&#8221;
The real question going forward, Blinken said, was simple: &#8220;How can we build a lasting peace?&#8221; He then claimed that the Biden administration had developed the plan for Gaza, and that Trump had simply &#8220;adopted and built on&#8221; that.
&#8220;It starts with a clear and comprehensive post conflict plan for Gaza. It’s good that President Trump adopted and built on the plan the Biden Administration developed after months of discussion with Arab partners, Israel and the Palestinian Authority,&#8221; Blinken said.
Trump was neither convinced nor impressed by Blinken&#8217;s claims, and said so to reporters aboard Air Force One. &#8220;Everybody knows that&#8217;s a joke. They did such a bad job. This should&#8217;ve never happened. This wouldn&#8217;t have happened. That was weak leadership, terrible — and the same thing with Russia,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Everything they did was the opposite of what you should&#8217;ve done.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;Everybody knows that&#8217;s a joke. They did such a bad job. This should&#8217;ve never happened&#8230; Everything they did was the opposite of what you should&#8217;ve done.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/NAJbjDO9qf">https://t.co/NAJbjDO9qf</a> <a href="https://t.co/m27U4btgZf">pic.twitter.com/m27U4btgZf</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977545927159083136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sec. Anthony Blinken

Antony Blinken Tries To Give Biden Credit For Teeing Up Trump’s Gaza Deal

Antony Blinken

Joe Biden

Politics

On Saturday, Israeli citizens packed the streets of what&#8217;s been dubbed &#8220;Hostage Square&#8221; in Tel Aviv, showing their gratitude for President Donald Trump, who brokered a peace deal to end Israel’s two-year war in Gaza and release Israeli hostages.
Those in attendance repeatedly chanted &#8220;Thank you, Trump,&#8221; wore &#8220;MAGA&#8221; apparel, and even held a massive banner that called for the president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
<div id="attachment_984751" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-984751" class="wp-image-984751 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Chris McGrath/Getty Images</div>
Speaking to CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, the network&#8217;s international correspondent Clarissa Ward said she heard &#8220;endless applause for President Trump.&#8221; Blitzer noted many people were wearing &#8220;Make America Great Again&#8221; hats.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;Endless applause for President Trump.&#8221;
&#8220;I even saw people wearing Make America Great Again hats in that crowd over at Hostage Square.&#8221;
THE PRESIDENT OF PEACE! <a href="https://t.co/tDuXPfdSWm">pic.twitter.com/tDuXPfdSWm</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977099635069260209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
The crowd was addressed by United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as well as Jared Kushner, who&#8217;s been acting as an informal adviser on Middle East policy, and Trump&#8217;s daughter Ivanka Trump.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout</a>
&#8220;May God bless the souls of the fallen. May God bless the hostages and their families as they return home,&#8221; Witkoff told the crowd. &#8220;May God bless the state of Israel. May God bless the United States of America. And may God bless Donald J. Trump, the greatest president the world has ever seen.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;May God bless the souls of the fallen. May God bless the hostages and their families&#8230; May God bless the state of Israel. May God bless the United States,&#8221; says <a href="https://twitter.com/SEPeaceMissions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SEPeaceMissions</a>.
&#8220;And may God bless Donald J. Trump — the greatest President the world has ever seen.&#8221; 💙 <a href="https://t.co/vp5sMCQJs8">pic.twitter.com/vp5sMCQJs8</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977082795693687142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Kushner, who&#8217;s said to have <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/5549996-kushner-trump-peace-deal/">played a major role</a> in negotiating the peace agreement, told the crowd he was heartbroken over the October 7 attack and proud of Israel for remaining true to its values in response.
“I put Jared there because he’s a very smart person and he knows the region, knows the people, knows a lot of the players,” Trump <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/5549996-kushner-trump-peace-deal/">said</a> earlier this week, addressing his son-in-law&#8217;s impactful role.
As Kushner spoke, folks in the Hostage Square chanted, &#8220;Thank you, Trump.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Thank you President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> for your commitment to bring this horrible conflict to an end.” <a href="https://t.co/gSGXzLEyc0">pic.twitter.com/gSGXzLEyc0</a>
— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaredkushner/status/1977117553534304752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Ivanka told the crowd that her father always stands with the people of Israel, again to applause and chants of &#8220;Thank you, Trump.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Cheers of &#8220;THANK YOU, TRUMP!&#8221; ring out in Tel Aviv as <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IvankaTrump</a> addresses the crowd eagerly awaiting the hostages to finally come home ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/1bRGiGhIOM">pic.twitter.com/1bRGiGhIOM</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977073322392277357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Remaining Israeli hostages are expected to be released by Monday.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-breaks-down-trumps-extraordinary-israel-hamas-peace-deal-and-what-comes-next">Ben Shapiro Breaks Down Trump’s ‘Extraordinary’ Israel-Hamas Peace Deal And What Comes Next</a>

Israelis gather in Tel Aviv to celebrate the ceasefire agreement reached in Gaza

Chants Of ‘Thank You, Trump’ And Calls For Nobel Peace Prize Erupt At Israel’s Hostage Square

Benjamin Netanyahu

Hostages

Ivanka Trump

Israel and the terror group Hamas have officially entered into a ceasefire after the two sides reached agreement on the initial stage of a plan to end the war in Gaza.
The agreement was presented to the Israeli government on Thursday. The security cabinet voted Thursday to approve the deal that was reached after days of negotiation in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the adoption of the agreement after the security council vote.
“We fought during these two years to achieve our war aims, and a central one of these war aims is to return the hostages – all of the hostages, the living and the dead – and we’re about to achieve that goal,” Netanyahu said.
U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner sat alongside the Israeli premier at the announcement.
“I really want to say that this all would not have been possible without the bravery of the IDF,” Kushner stated. “I know a lot of you, probably all of you have family, friends who were in this effort … put your sacrifices on the line to fight for your country and to try to make a difference. I think that made a very, very big difference.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: Remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the government meeting for the approval of the hostages release framework, together with President Trump&#8217;s Special Envoy to the Middle East, <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveWitkoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SteveWitkoff</a>, and with the President&#8217;s son-in-law, <a href="https://twitter.com/jaredkushner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaredKushner</a>. <a href="https://t.co/zMALibPcEY">pic.twitter.com/zMALibPcEY</a>
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM/status/1976427095489216751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump is expected to visit Israel in the coming days and address the Knesset, a rare honor for a U.S. president. Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana on Thursday officially <a href="https://x.com/AmirOhana/status/1976375333185257830">invited</a> “The Peace President” to address the Israeli body.
The ceasefire includes the release of the hostages held by Hamas. Trump has said that he expects the 20 living hostages still held by Hamas to be returned to Israel early next week.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout</a>
It is unclear how many of the dead hostages, 28 in all, will be returned to Israel. Reports during the negotiations suggested that Israeli officials had concerns that Hamas did not know the locations of the bodies of all of the dead and may not be able to return them.
Israel is expected to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in return. The release may <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-claims-israel-will-free-barghouti-other-top-terror-convicts/">include</a> notorious top terrorists as well.
Israeli military forces are expected to pull back from the heart of Gaza during the first phase of the ceasefire.

Ceasefire Begins In Gaza After Israel Officially Approves First Phase Of Peace Plan

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> announced on Saturday evening that he has nominated Charles Kushner to serve as his U.S. Ambassador to France after he is sworn into office in January.
&#8220;He is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, &amp; dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country &amp; its interests,&#8221; Trump wrote on social media. &#8220;Charlie is the Founder &amp; Chairman of Kushner Companies, one of the largest &amp; most successful privately held Real Estate firms in the Nation.&#8221;
&#8220;He was recognized as New Jersey Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst &amp; Young, appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, &amp; served as a Commissioner, &amp; Chairman, of the Port Authority of New York &amp; New Jersey, as well as on the Boards of our top institutions, including NYU,&#8221; Trump added.
Trump noted that Charlie&#8217;s son Jared, who is married to Trump&#8217;s eldest daughter Ivanka, was a key player during his first term in office on multiple initiatives, including Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, &amp; the Abraham Accords.
&#8220;Together, we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest Ally, &amp; one of our greatest!&#8221; Trump concluded.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump nominates Charles Kushner to serve as U.S. Ambassador to France 🇺🇸 🤝 🇫🇷 <a href="https://t.co/LhFO1hL53i">pic.twitter.com/LhFO1hL53i</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1862931643549319349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Trump has already nominated or appointed dozens of people to serve in his new administration, including Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) for Secretary of State; financier Scott Bessent for Secretary of the Treasury; former Army veteran Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense; former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for U.S. Attorney General; North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum for Secretary of the Interior; Former Acting Director of the Domestic Policy Council Brooke Rollins for Secretary of Agriculture; CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald Howard Lutnick for Secretary of Commerce; Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) for Secretary of Labor; former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services; former Trump official Scott Turner for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) for Secretary of Transportation; CEO of Liberty Energy Chris Wright for Secretary of Energy; former Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education; Former Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) for Secretary of Veterans Affairs; South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for Secretary of Homeland Security; former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe for CIA Director; former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) for Director of National Intelligence; former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) for Ambassador to the United Nations; former Trump official Kash Patel for FBI Director; and others.

LORD & TAYLOR Launches IVANKA TRUMP’s Spring 2012 Collection

Trump Nominates Jared Kushner’s Father To Top Ambassadorship

Executive

France

Trump Administration

Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> said during an interview this week that his family will not play any role in his administration if he becomes the Republican Party nominee and wins the 2024 general election.
Trump, 77, told Fox News anchor Bret Baier in an interview that aired Monday evening that being president was &#8220;too painful for the family&#8221; and that they will not be involved in his administration if he gets back to the White House.
Trump made the remarks when Baier asked him if he wanted his oldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, with him again politically in the future.
&#8220;No,&#8221; Trump responded. “I said, that’s enough for the family. You know why? It’s too painful for the family.&#8221;
“My family’s been through hell,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;I mean, they have — Eric, my son, who’s a fine boy. You know him very well. He’s a fine young man, good student, good everything, comes in. We’re doing beautifully. Then I decide to run for president. I mean, I don’t think anybody in the world in history has ever had more subpoenas sent to him,” the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner claimed.
The former president said that no other family has been through what his family has been through.
“Ivanka had a really successful line of clothing, I mean, making a fortune. When I did this, she was really — she closed it up,&#8221; he said. &#8220;She sort of felt she had to, but she closed it up.&#8221;
Ivanka Trump announced in November 2022 that she would play no part in her father’s 2024 presidential campaign, and she skipped the former president’s campaign launch at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-102078">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Ivanka Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ivanka-trump-releases-statement-on-why-she-did-not-attend-fathers-presidential-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> after her father announced his third presidential campaign that she did not want to be part of it because she wanted to focus on her children.
“I love my father very much,” Ivanka said. “This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics.”
“While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena,” she continued. “I am grateful to have had the honor of serving the American people and I will always be proud of many of our Administration’s accomplishments.”

Former President Trump Addresses  The Georgia State GOP Convention

Trump Reveals What Role His Family Would Play In His Admin If He Wins Primary, General Elections

2024 Election

Bret Baier

Elections

Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump&#8217;s</a> daughter and son-in-law have reportedly been subpoenaed in one of the federal criminal investigations into the former president.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/22/us/politics/jared-kushner-ivanka-trump-jan-6.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that special counsel Jack Smith subpoenaed Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner to testify before a federal grand jury about Trump&#8217;s efforts to stay in office after losing the 2020 presidential election.
The report said that it was unclear whether Trump would try to block them from testifying by claiming executive privilege. Trump did not stop either of them from testifying in front of the special House Select Committee on the January 6 riot.
The report noted that one clip from the January 6 hearing showed that Ivanka Trump said she &#8220;accepted&#8221; then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr&#8217;s conclusion that there was not widespread fraud during the election.
Smith has also subpoenaed former Vice President Mike Pence and former national security adviser Robert O’Brien in his criminal investigations into the former president. The FBI and DOJ also recorded a four-hour interview under oath with former acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf as part of the investigations.
Other top former Trump administration officials who have reportedly testified in the criminal investigations into Trump include Wolf’s former deputy, Ken Cuccinelli, former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and his deputy Patrick Philbin, former adviser Stephen Miller, and former White House aide John McEntee.

Celebrity Sightings In Miami – December 10 2022

Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner Subpoenaed To Testify In Criminal Investigation Into Trump

General

Menu