HANDS OFF!

Biden and Trump Battle Over Credit for Middle East Deal

The dueling presidents are fighting to the bitter end over who gets the credit for the historic deal.

Joe Biden was battling with Donald Trump over who gets the credit for the Middle East hostage release and ceasefire deal after the president’s Hail Mary pass to save his legacy was snatched at the end line.

“Is that a joke?” Biden snapped at a reporter after being asked if his successor was partly responsible for the breakthrough.

The veil of civility between the White House rivals in recent days was stripped to reveal a frantic race to take all the plaudits for the historic agreement.

WHITE FLAG

Hamas Approves Ceasefire Deal With Hostages to Be Released

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“This is a cease-fire agreement I introduced last Spring. Today, Hamas and Israel have agreed to that ceasefire agreement. And a whole ending to the war,' said the president.

Biden pulled out all the stops to push Israeli and Hamas leaders to settle on a 42-day halt to hostilities and a hostage release deal that would allow him to go out with a bang rather than a whimper—only for Trump to beat him to the punch by announcing the deal before the president’s grandstanding press conference.

Without mentioning Biden, Trump praised his “national security team” for getting the deal over the line.

“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” wrote Trump on Truth Social.

David Friedman, U.S. Ambassador to Israel under Trump’s first administration, offered his “enduring thanks” on Fox News to his “old friend President Trump for getting this done.”

Friedman said Hamas agreed to the deal because they were afraid of what Trump would do. “I think this is all because of their recognition with the incoming administration that they have no future,” he added.

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast sidestepped Biden’s efforts to take credit, saying: “I do not trust Hamas. I trust President Trump put the fear of God in Hamas.”

Then, to rub it in, Biden’s own State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller had to admit the importance of Trump’s input.

“When it comes to the involvement of President-elect Trump’s team, it’s been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line,” he told a press briefing. “It’s critical because obviously, as I stand here today, this administration’s term in office will expire in five days.”

He went on to acknowledge that the deal needed both Trump’s and Biden’s teams to make it work, adding: “I don’t know if it’s unprecedented to have envoys from an outgoing and an incoming administration sitting at the same table negotiating a ceasefire agreement of this kind but if it’s not unprecedented it’s certainly unusual and we, of course, thank the Trump team for working with us on this ceasefire agreement.”

Trump warned on January 7 that “all hell will break out in the Middle East” if the Hamas hostages weren’t released by his inauguration on January 20.

“It will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” he told reporters at a briefing at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

CNN reported a Biden official as saying at the time that the president’s top national security staff were pessimistic about the chances of striking a deal before he left office.

Later on Wednesday, the Trump Team’s Rapid Response Director Jake Schneider released a statement doubling down on Trump’s efforts in finalizing the deal while shrugging off Biden’s involvement.

“Make no mistake: it was President Donald J. Trump and his historic electoral victory that drove the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal,” the statement read. “While Biden attempts to claim credit for the ‘framework’ he introduced last summer, a deal could only be accomplished after President Trump and his Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, intervened.”

Biden continued to mark his territory however, swiftly claiming credit for the deal as soon as he commenced his farewell address from the Oval Office Wednesday night. Along with applauding his administration for its work in developing the deal, he stressed the importance of keeping the “incoming administration fully informed” as it was imperative to work “together as Americans.”

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David GardnerChief National Correspondent

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