On Wednesday, President Donald Trump held a significant roundtable event with conservative influencers, focusing on the topic of antifa. The gathering took place in the Blue Room of the White House, where attendees engaged in discussions about various pressing issues. However, the atmosphere shifted when Secretary of State Marco Rubio caught Trump’s attention from the back corner of the room, indicating he had important news to share.
After a brief moment, Rubio approached Trump and whispered something in his ear before handing him a note. The note, written on White House stationery, contained an urgent message that read: “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” This request hinted at a significant development regarding Middle East negotiations, prompting Trump to announce to the gathered media that they were “very close to a deal on the Middle East.”
At the time of this revelation, Trump’s top Middle East adviser, Steve Witkoff, along with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and other senior officials, were participating in a third day of peace talks between Israel and Hamas at a resort in Egypt. These talks signify a critical phase in negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
During the influencer event, Trump mentioned his intention to travel to the Middle East “toward the end of the week,” expressing a desire to visit not only Egypt but potentially the Gaza Strip as U.S. negotiators approached a deal. Despite the pressing nature of the situation, Trump continued engaging with the influencers and fielding questions from the media, even as Rubio appeared increasingly anxious about the time.
After nearly ten minutes of discussions, Trump finally stated, “I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East,” while acknowledging the capabilities of Secretary of State Rubio. He suggested that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem remain to answer questions in his absence. Nevertheless, Trump continued to take questions, and the event concluded without any Cabinet members staying behind.
The public did not have to wait long for the formal announcement regarding the Middle East peace deal. At precisely 6:51 p.m.—approximately two hours after receiving the urgent note from Rubio—Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share the exciting news. He declared, “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” highlighting that all hostages would be released “very soon” and that Israel would withdraw their troops “to an agreed upon line.”
In his post, Trump expressed his sentiment that this was a “GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America.” He also extended gratitude to the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for their roles in facilitating this “Historic and Unprecedented Event.” He concluded with a powerful affirmation: “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”
