The latest breakthrough in the long, brutal fight around Gaza is a vindication of bold American leadership, not European photo-ops. Former Sen. Norm Coleman — a long-time, outspoken friend of Israel and a figure who knows diplomacy when he sees it — told Newsmax that President Trump “deserves all the praise” for forcing the fragile but vital deal across the finish line. This isn’t idle chest-thumping; it’s recognition from a veteran who’s watched Washington fumble too many chances at peace.
President Trump rolled out a 20-point peace plan late last month and pushed hard for implementation, and the deal reached this spring included the release of hostages and measures meant to stabilize Gaza while denying Hamas the military future it sought. World capitals have been scrambling to explain their role, but the timeline and the muscle behind the negotiation trace straight back to Trump’s initiative and the pressure his envoys applied on the key players. The results are tangible: hostages freed, humanitarian passages opened, and a fragile pause that could save countless lives if enforced.
It’s galling, but predictable, to watch some European leaders rush in to snag credit for diplomacy they neither engineered nor enforced. Politicians abroad are already staging press conferences and softening their language to look statesmanlike; meanwhile, the real diplomacy was American, direct, and unapologetically tough. Conservatives should call out that revisionism for what it is — a thin veneer of virtue signaling over a reality where U.S. resolve moved mountains while much of Europe watched.
Even voices ordinarily allied with the other side of the aisle have been forced to acknowledge the obvious: this was a U.S.-led success worth recognizing. Former Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and other centrist figures publicly credited the administration’s relentless pressure and unconventional approach for creating the opening that made the agreement possible. When political opponents tip their hats, patriots should listen — and America should not be shy about owning the victory it won for peace and for our ally, Israel.
This victory did not happen in a vacuum. It was engineered by a tight, effective team — from special envoys who worked the rooms to trusted intermediaries who brokered the technical swaps — and it was backed by a President who isn’t afraid to lean on allies and adversaries alike to secure results. Steve Witkoff and others on the ground played indispensable roles in getting stubborn parties to the table, showing the value of action over talk and resolve over handwringing. Conservatives should celebrate the coalition of American grit and diplomacy that produced results instead of indulging in the usual hand-wringing about process.
Norm Coleman’s blunt reminder that credit belongs where credit is due ought to be a rallying cry for patriots who believe in American strength and clear-eyed foreign policy. Let Europe posture; let the cable networks scramble to recast the script — the American people know who put the pressure on and who followed through. If we want peace, freedom, and the security of our allies, give us leaders who act, not bureaucrats who talk; this deal is proof positive that boldness still works.
