Donald Trump issued a frantic post on Truth Social in the midst of attending the U.S. Open men’s singles final.
The president was met with jeers and cheers as he stepped out at Arthur Ashe stadium in his native Queens on Sunday afternoon, roughly 45 minutes before the start of the match.
He then returned swiftly to his hospitality suite, where it appears he typed out a Truth Social post in a haphazard effort to pressure Hamas to accept a deal to release hostages from Gaza.
“Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well,” Trump wrote three minutes before the scheduled start of play.
The 79-year-old president continued, “I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter.” He signed off with his name and office in full caps.
Trump is trying to negotiate a deal with the Palestinian militant group that would head off Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s massive offensive to occupy Gaza City.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who accompanied Trump at the tennis tournament, has sent a proposal to Hamas that would see all 48 remaining hostages released in return for a ceasefire and the end of Israel’s operation to occupy Gaza, Axios reported Sunday, citing a senior Israeli official familiar with the details.
“We are in very deep negotiation with Hamas,” Trump told reporters Friday. “We said let [the hostages] all out, right now let them all out, and much better things will happen for them. But if you don’t let them all out, it’s going to be a tough situation, it’s going to be nasty.”
Trump promised during his presidential campaign to quickly end the war in Gaza, but no resolution has been achieved. U.N.-backed experts in August declared a famine in Gaza City and the surrounding territory amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Roughly 50 Israeli hostages are still being held by Hamas, with 20 thought to be alive, according to NBC News.
The president’s appearance at the U.S. Open final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz delayed the start of the match by 30 minutes and left fans waiting in long security lines outside the stadium even after play began. Alcaraz, 22, won in four sets to reclaim the world No. 1 spot.
The United States Tennis Association earlier asked broadcasters to censor the crowd’s reception of Trump, instructing them to “refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity.”
