Trump considering Mideast visit but ‘not yet,’ again claims credit for hostage deal

Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief

US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on January 21, 2025, in Washington. (Jim Watson/AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on January 21, 2025, in Washington. (Jim Watson/AFP)

US President Donald Trump says he’s thinking about visiting the Middle East but indicates the trip won’t take place in the immediate future.

“We’re thinking about going to the Middle East — not yet,” Trump says in remarks to reporters.

His Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, though, confirmed Monday that he’s planning to travel to Gaza in order to see through the implementation of the hostage deal.

“We have a thing called ‘the hostages are coming back’ going on right now,” Trump adds.

He laments that some of the hostages are not in good condition and references Emily Damari, who was released on Sunday but had two of her fingers amputated after being shot during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught.

“If I weren’t here, that they wouldn’t be back ever,” Trump says of the hostages.

Indeed, Arab diplomats speaking to The Times of Israel have credited Trump and Witkoff for helping bring the deal across the finish line, particularly by pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Biden couldn’t get it done, and it was only the imposition that I put on as a deadline that they got it done,” Trump says.

Last month, Trump threatened “all hell to pay” in the Mideast if the hostages weren’t released by his January 20 inauguration.

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