Dear Reader,
A Hamas official wasted no time. Trump’s victory shook their confidence. Calls for an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza came swiftly. Basem Naim, speaking for Hamas’ Political Bureau, demanded a halt to what he called Zionist aggression. For Palestinians, Naim said, freedom and independence were overdue. An independent state, Jerusalem as the capital. That vision, he claimed, needed backing from the new U.S. leadership.
- Hamas officials plead for peace as Trump takes office, worried his administration won’t tolerate their aggression.
- Netanyahu applauds Trump’s historic comeback, promising a renewed alliance against Middle Eastern threats.
- Biden and Harris face scrutiny for their Middle East policies, accused of risking America’s security and Israel’s stability.
But one thing was clear. Israel wouldn’t bend so easily. Their relationship with America runs deep. Bipartisan, from the start. A top Israeli official told Newsweek that Israel expects strong U.S. ties to continue under Trump. No cracks in that bond, no matter what.
Trump has criticized Netanyahu’s wartime choices before. But that didn’t stop the Israeli Prime Minister from praising him. Netanyahu, the first world leader to congratulate Trump, called his comeback historic. “A new beginning,” he said. “A powerful recommitment.” The two spoke. It was warm, cooperative. They agreed: Israel’s security comes first. And the Iranian threat? Always on the table.
Biden and Harris face heat. Their strategy for handling Middle East chaos isn’t cutting it. Critics on both sides. Pro-Israel voices demand more. Pro-Palestinian groups insist on restraint. But the Biden administration just can’t please anyone. U.S. military aid keeps flowing, but the administration struggles to convince either side.
Hamas didn’t stop there. Their message? U.S. support for Israel must end. Lebanon, Gaza, Syria—all theaters of war need peace. They claim Americans are tired of funding what they see as occupation and genocide. And that bias, Hamas says, undermines U.S. values. But will the Trump era change their fortunes? Highly unlikely.
Even Mahmoud Abbas, rival to Hamas and head of the Palestinian Authority, sent his congratulations. Abbas hopes for peace. For U.S. support of Palestinian dreams. Even as he remains skeptical of Trump’s plans, like the infamous Jerusalem embassy move. Trump’s “deal of the century” never impressed Abbas. Neither did the idea of surrendering Palestinian land for investment deals and desert patches.
The Abraham Accords told a different story. Arab states forming ties with Israel. Diplomatic breakthroughs. Under Trump, America stood strong. Iran, meanwhile, paid a steep price. Sanctions. The death of Quds Force Chief Soleimani. A hardline approach. Biden and Harris? Far too soft, critics argue. Trump makes it simple. Peace through strength. No wars. Just action when necessary.
As he said, “They said, ‘He will start a war.’ I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.”
The Morning Muster
