The outgoing U.S. President, Joe Biden, and the incoming President, Donald Trump, both laid claim on the 15th of January, 2025, to the credit for a long-awaited Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal, which had been months in the making but was finally brought to fruition with a nudge from a Trump envoy.
While announcing the ceasefire, Biden emphasized that the agreement closely mirrored a proposal he had put forward back in May.
When asked who would be credited for the deal in the history books, Biden confidently responded, “Is that a joke? This plan was developed and negotiated by my team and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. That’s why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed.”
Trump, not missing a beat, quickly took to social media to assert his role in the breakthrough after months of stalled negotiations.
He pointed to the upcoming transition as a pivotal factor: “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.”
In the final stretch of talks, Trump had dispatched his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to join the negotiations in Doha.
Witkoff played a crucial role during the last 96 hours of intense discussions. A senior Biden administration official later credited Witkoff for his role in delivering the deal, collaborating closely with Biden’s envoy, Brett McGurk, who had been in Doha since January 5.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre clarified that Biden had actively sought Trump’s involvement, knowing the incoming administration would have to carry out the ceasefire deal. Biden himself reflected on the teamwork, stating, “In these past few days, we have been speaking as one team.”