President Donald Trump declared he has achieved peace overseas despite the fragile situation in the Middle East, and he completely left out the war raging in Ukraine.
“Now that we have made PEACE abroad, we must finish the job here at home by passing ‘THE GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,’ and getting the Bill to my desk, ASAP,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
The president appeared to be referring to the conflict between Iran and Israel as he has been bullish that a ceasefire would hold, even as it has already come close to unraveling less than a day after he announced it on social media.
Trump made his peace declaration as he headed to the Netherlands to attend the NATO summit, where the ongoing war in Ukraine remains one of the key issues to be addressed.
His post was a reminder of how Trump views the conflict in the Middle East very differently from the war in Ukraine, as he has engaged with leaders abroad.
Speaking on Air Force One, the president also raised questions about his commitment to the NATO alliance moving forward.
Despite Trump’s push for a ceasefire in Ukraine since taking office in January, the war continues to rage with Russia launching drones and missiles earlier this week, killing at least ten people in and around Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.
Asked on Air Force One on Tuesday whether he would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the visit, Trump said he probably would.
“He’s in a tough situation, should have never been there,” the president said.
Trump was asked directly if he was still committed to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. The president said there are “numerous definitions” of Article 5, but said he is “committed to being their friend.”
Pressed to clarify what that meant and whether he is committed to mutual defense, Trump demurred that he is committed to “saving lives” and said he would give an “exact definition” when he arrived at the summit.
The president said he would like to see a deal with Russia and brought up a conversation he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Vladimir called me up. He said, ‘Can I help you with Iran?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t need help with Iran, I need help with you.’ And I hope we’re going to be getting a deal done with Russia,” the president said.
While Trump claimed “peace abroad” on social media, the rest of his post was a call for Congress to pass his massive bill focused on his domestic agenda.
Amid the turmoil abroad, the president declared the U.S. is “finally entering our Golden Age,” echoing a promise he has made since returning to office.
However, Congress continues to face hurdles with passing his “big, beautiful bill” as it makes its way through the Senate this week, as Republicans grapple with details.
