Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, one of Washington�s most respected foreign affairs commentators, offered rare praise for President Donald Trump, crediting him with achieving what he said former President Joe Biden �could never do� � securing a permanent Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Appearing Thursday on MSNBC�s Morning Joe, Ignatius said Trump�s breakthrough marked a defining moment in U.S. diplomacy and a turning point in the region.

�The United States is going to have to make decisions for us,� Ignatius recalled an Israeli official telling him in the early weeks after the October 7 attacks. �Joe Biden could never do that. And Donald Trump was able to do it.�

Ignatius, known for his access to top intelligence and diplomatic sources, said Trump�s success came at a �decisive moment� when he insisted that �the war must end and Israel cannot annex the West Bank� � a direct rebuke to parts of Israel�s right-wing coalition.

He went on to praise Trump�s team for what he described as �quiet, sustained diplomacy� that included sending real estate developer Steve Witkoff as an �unlikely emissary� to shuttle between regional capitals. �Trump showed the Arab world that he was serious about peace,� Ignatius said. �And he did it in a way that was unconventional but effective.�

Ignatius contrasted Trump�s assertive approach with Biden�s more cautious diplomacy, arguing that Biden had been �unable to find a way to stop� the conflict. �This war was blocked for two years,� Ignatius said. �President Biden, who preceded him, was unable to find a way to stop it. President Trump found that way by being tough on both sides.�

On Truth Social Wednesday night, Trump hailed the ceasefire as an �unprecedented event,� declaring that �ALL of the hostages will be released very soon.� He later told Fox News�s Sean Hannity that the deal was the first phase of his 20-point Middle East peace plan, which he described as �probably the biggest deal ever made.�

Ignatius concluded that Trump�s diplomatic push �deserves a victory lap.� �There�s no way that I can see that this would have been done without Trump�s pressure in the final hours,� he said.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)