Staff Reports
The recent developments in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict seem to have turned into an unexpected game of political hot potato. President Biden, in a dazzling show of bipartisanship—or perhaps just a hint of desperation—hailed the efforts of none other than President-elect Donald Trump’s team for brokering a ceasefire. One has to wonder how much hair-pulling went on over at the White House when they realized they had to share credit with Trump, who swooped in to announce the deal like a superhero arriving just in time to save the day.
Biden made a point of emphasizing that the ceasefire agreement, which also entails the release of hostages, resembles a similar proposal his administration had put forth many months earlier. How historical! However, Trump couldn’t resist stealing the spotlight—he announced the deal on social media a mere two hours before Biden took the stage, clearly not wanting the current president to bask in the glory alone. It’s the political equivalent of cutting the cake before everybody else has even sung “Happy Birthday.”
Biden says his administration and Trump team spoke ‘as one’ in Gaza dealhttps://t.co/LgyXdNXXmK pic.twitter.com/i5CCWrUVRR
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 16, 2025
Amidst the political posturing, Biden, likely trying to keep the peace, admitted that his administration worked closely with Trump’s transition team to finalize the deal. It’s almost heartwarming to see two opposing parties sharing a moment of unity, even if it is while they both vie for credit. Biden referred to the cooperation as the two administrations “speaking with one voice.” Maybe next time they’ll all just sit down and have a group hug—or better yet, a joint press conference in matching sweaters.
The fireworks continued when Trump, ever the showman, took to Truth Social to proclaim the deal as a testament to his “historic victory” in last November’s election. Not one to shy away from hyperbole, he lauded the ceasefire as evidence of his burgeoning foreign policy prowess, which he claims will be evident the moment he steps back into the Oval Office. One can only imagine the world leaders on speed dial eagerly awaiting Trump’s triumphant return, poised for yet more “EPIC” negotiations.
Meanwhile, Biden did not miss his opportunity to paint the previous monthlong conflict as a grave tragedy for the Palestinian people, adding quite a serious tone to the otherwise light-hearted game of political accolades. He expressed confidence in the sustainability of the ceasefire and the plan’s multi-phase structure which, quite conveniently, lays out how hostages will be gradually released, perhaps in part to further appease his critics. As Biden talks about resolving conflict, one can contemplate whether he has the authority to extend this goodwill—or if he’ll be left in the dust, overshadowed by Trump’s looming presence as the true victor of peace on this occasion.
What was particularly interesting was that each administration’s parties seem to be on the right path; while Trump focuses on securing absolute safety for Israel and ensuring Gaza doesn’t morph back into a terrorist playground, Biden appears to be content with establishing a stopgap measure that looks good in speeches. As the drama unfolds, one can’t help but think the real winners might just be the political strategists behind the curtain, cooking up plans for a 2024 showdown in which the world stage becomes yet another battlefield in this ongoing saga of American politics.
