Trump claims credit for 'pushing' Netanyahu toward Gaza ceasefire deal
.@POTUS on PM Netanyahu: "He's a very talented guy. He's a guy that's never been pushed before... I don't think they treat him very well... I pushed him. I didn't like certain things that he did, and you saw what I did about that." pic.twitter.com/C71wHfW5h7
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 3, 2025
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: President Donald Trump, in his recent interview for CBS’s '60 Minutes', which was aired on Sunday, November 2, claimed that it was he who "pushed" the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toward the Gaza ceasefire deal, ending two years of conflict in the region between Israel and Hamas.
The deal was mediated by the US under Trump last month and led to the release of 20 surviving Israeli hostages.
Trump asserts his role in the Gaza ceasefire
When the interviewer, Norah O’Donnell, asked whether Donald Trump could convince Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize a Palestinian state, the POTUS answered, “I pushed him. I didn’t like certain things that he did. And you saw what I did about that.”
Pointing toward the Israeli prime minister's long-running corruption trial, Trump called Netanyahu “a very talented guy” who is being unfairly treated. He has called for the case to be thrown out and has said the US would be “involved in that to help him out.”
Both leaders have at times had a strained relationship. Trump was frustrated with Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict in Gaza and the Qatar talks, which tested his patience during his efforts to end the conflict.
Trump's first interview after CBS lawsuit
The president sat down for the exclusive interview on Friday, October 31. It is his first interview with the network in five years, especially after his lawsuit against them, making it a significant one.
Trump sued CBS News over their '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris, accusing the network of deceptively editing her remarks about the conflict in Gaza to favor her 2024 campaign.
He sought billions in damages, claiming it amounted to voter interference. CBS denied the claim, calling it standard editing. The case was settled in July this year for $16 million.
During the interview, Trump also spoke about global conflicts, like that in Ukraine, claiming it wouldn't have happened on his watch, and warned China about its tensions with Taiwan. He also mentioned the situation in Venezuela and the US military’s activities in the region.
Trump calls Gaza ceasefire 'very solid'
About the situation in the Middle East, Trump asserted that the ceasefire mediated by his administration is in good shape. “It’s not fragile. It’s a very solid,” he said. “I mean, you hear about Hamas, but Hamas could be taken out immediately if they don’t behave. They know that. If they don’t behave, they’re gonna be taken out immediately."
When asked how he would get Hamas to disarm, he said he “would get them to disarm very quickly.”
Trump’s comments came after Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the bodies of three deceased hostages had been handed over from Gaza.
Before the handover, the bodies of 11 deceased hostages were reportedly still in Gaza, after Hamas released the remains of 17 hostages since the ceasefire went into effect in October.
