Trump to Hamas: I could tell Israel to handle the situation

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House. During their meeting, the two leaders signed an agreement between the two countries on critical minerals and rare earth elements. Following the signing, Trump made statements regarding the current agenda. Reiterating his call for a diplomatic solution regarding the Russia-Ukraine War, Trump stated, "We are trying to make a deal. If a deal happens, that would be great. But if it doesn't, a lot of people are going to pay a big price."

Trump said that 5,000 to 7,000 soldiers are dying per week in Russia and Ukraine due to the war, calling it the most horrific picture since World War II. Trump said, "If I were president, this war would never have started. Now, thousands of people are dying on both sides. It is a tragedy."

Stating that his talks with Putin are ongoing, Trump noted that aid to Ukraine must be consistent with U.S. interests. Trump said, "We are no longer investing money in wars, but in diplomacy."

"THERE IS PEACE FOR THE FIRST TIME"

Referring to the ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas, Trump said, "There is peace in the Middle East for the first time. We have a deal with Hamas; they promised to behave well. But if they don't abide by this agreement, we will go in and eliminate them."

Stating that U.S. troops will not be deployed on the ground in Gaza, Trump said, "U.S. troops will not go on the ground. There is no need for that. Because 59 countries have signed this agreement. They are all on the same side."

"A PERIOD HAS BEGUN WHERE AGREEMENTS, NOT WEAPONS, SPEAK"

Drawing attention to the multinational dimension of the diplomatic effort for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Trump said, "There are 59 countries that have accepted the agreement. Countries that were not talking to each other four months ago are at the same table today. No one expected this. A period has begun where agreements, not weapons, speak. The support Hamas received from Iran has ended. They are no longer receiving support from anyone. This increases the chance that the ceasefire will be permanent."

Stating that Israel could restart its attacks on Gaza if necessary, Trump emphasized that they prefer diplomatic pressure, saying, "Israel could go in there in two minutes. If I wanted to tell them to go in, I could say, 'Go in there and handle the situation.' But we haven't said that right now. We're going to give it a chance and hopefully the violence will subside a little bit."

"WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT ENDS WARS"

Describing the new Middle East policy created during his term as "diplomacy-centered deterrence," Trump said, "We are not a country that starts wars, but one that ends them. We are currently conducting diplomacy to ensure the ceasefire in the Middle East continues. There is no need for U.S. troops to go on the ground."

Stating that the agreement involving 59 countries was led by U.S. diplomatic leadership, Trump said, "This is not a U.S. success, it is a success for humanity. Everyone is doing their best to prevent bloodshed."

Trump also emphasized that the tough stance against Iran laid the foundation for this agreement, saying, "We hit Iran so hard that they can no longer maintain their former influence in the region. This paved the way for peace."

"CHINA WILL NO LONGER EXPLOIT THE U.S."

Announcing that they will impose new tariffs if trade talks with China fail, Trump said, "Currently, China is paying us a 55 percent tariff. If we don't make a fair trade deal, I will increase that rate to 155 percent starting November 1st."

Announcing that he will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea in the coming weeks, Trump said, "We have a very good relationship with President Xi. But we want a fair deal. China will no longer be able to exploit the U.S. I have been invited to China and I will do that early next year. We have arranged everything."

Trump also reminded that China is dependent on the U.S. in the aviation industry, saying, "When we stopped aircraft parts, more than 400 Chinese planes were grounded. This is the economic power of the U.S. We want friendship, but we will not allow exploitation."

U.S. President Trump emphasized how effective economic tools are in foreign policy, saying, "I solved eight wars in eight months with tariffs."

Describing the defense cooperation with Australia as the "guarantee of Indo-Pacific security," Trump said, "The AUKUS agreement is the strongest deterrent against China's regional expansion efforts. But I do not want conflict with China, I want fair competition."