WASHINGTON [US]: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday talk about US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy actions, citing several key global developments that she attributed to his leadership.
“Look at what the president has done on the world stage. He has ended wars, like India and Pakistan. He continues to work aggressively to end the war in Russia and Ukraine,” Leavitt said during a press briefing, highlighting Trump’s ongoing diplomatic efforts.
On the India-Pakistan conflict, which saw intensified hostilities in April 2025 following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Leavitt echoed Trump’s previous claims of having played a pivotal role in de-escalating the situation. While Indian officials have maintained that the ceasefire was a result of Pakistan’s request after India achieved its objectives, Trump has repeatedly taken credit for the cessation of hostilities, sometimes attributing it to trade negotiations.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Leavitt stated Trump “continues to work aggressively to end” it. Trump has recently adopted a tougher stance towards Russia, giving Moscow a 50-day deadline to resolve the conflict or face “severe tariffs.” He has also pledged to send more defensive weapons to Ukraine through NATO allies.
Leavitt also pointed to Trump’s actions concerning Iran and in the Middle East. “He completely obliterated Iran’s nuclear sites. He has continued to hopefully negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza, to end that conflict and release all of the hostages,” she said. Trump’s administration had conducted airstrikes in June 2025, codenamed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. While Trump claimed all sites were “completely obliterated,” other reports suggested varying degrees of damage, with some facilities potentially able to resume operations within months.
Emphasizing the impact of these efforts, Leavitt added, “We’ve seen many of the hostages released as a result of this president’s efforts.”
Reflecting this, US President Donald Trump stated that another 10 hostages held in Gaza are expected to be released “very shortly,” amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Doha between Israeli and Hamas delegations, The Jerusalem Post reported. “We got most of the hostages back. We’re going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly,” Trump said during a dinner with lawmakers at the White House on Friday (local time). The president also praised the work of his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, for his role in the ongoing talks.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been taking part in the latest round of ceasefire talks in Doha since July 6, discussing a US-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire. Trump has made repeated comments over the past several weeks suggesting that a new hostage deal would soon be agreed upon.
A senior Hamas spokesperson issued a warning on Friday, cautioning that the group would not consider future interim truces unless a deal is achieved in the current round of negotiations. “We are closely monitoring the ongoing negotiations and hope they will result in an agreement that guarantees the cessation of the war against our people, the withdrawal of occupation forces, and the relief of our people,” said Hamas’ Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Ubaida in a video statement, as cited by The Jerusalem Post.
Former secretary of state Antony Blinken claimed on Wednesday that the United States and its partners in the Middle East were “85% of the way” to being done before the Trump administration took over. Despite this, the early days of the new Trump administration saw a breakthrough in a hostage deal after months of stalled talks.
Hamas abducted over 250 people during its October 7, 2023, rampage, where the terror group invaded southern Israel and massacred more than 1,200 people. As of now, The Jerusalem Post reports that 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive. The ongoing diplomatic efforts are part of a broader push to bring an end to the hostilities and secure the safe return of the remaining hostages.