Shapiro and Friedman Praise Trump’s “Historic” Role in Hostage Deal

As President Donald Trump addressed the Knesset on Monday, prominent American Jewish voices Ben Shapiro and David Friedman praised his role in the brokered ceasefire and hostage release deal as “historic,” calling it a moment of divine providence and national unity.

Shapiro, speaking to The Jerusalem Post ahead of Trump’s speech, said the agreement which secured the return of all twenty living hostages held by Hamas was nothing short of extraordinary.

“The president of the United States has done extraordinary, extraordinary work historic,” Shapiro stated. Reflecting on Trump’s recent survival of an assassination attempt, Shapiro added, “There are many reasons that God spared his life... and this is just one of them.”

“It’s going to be an unbelievable thing for the state of Israel,” he continued, highlighting the global impact of the agreement and its significance to the Jewish people.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, a key figure during Trump’s first term and the architect of the U.S. embassy’s move to Jerusalem, called the deal “an answer to the nation’s prayers.”

“It’s what we’ve prayed for for two years, every single day the whole country, the whole world,” Friedman said. “It’s so incredibly moving, and it’s uniting the Jewish community in such a special way.”

Describing the timing as deeply meaningful, Friedman added, “Today is a double chag... it’s the eve of Simchat Torah and it’s also the eve of the return of the hostages. It really is an incredible day.”

The moment was made even more powerful as Trump landed in Israel just as the first group of hostages was being released a dramatic overlap that symbolized the success of his direct diplomatic intervention. He is now only the fourth U.S. president in history to address the Israeli Knesset.

Trump was joined at the speech by a number of senior officials from his administration, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and his daughter Ivanka Trump with her husband Jared Kushner. Their presence underscored the sense of historical significance surrounding the visit.

As Israel celebrated the safe return of the hostages after two years in captivity, the message from both Shapiro and Friedman was clear: Trump’s leadership during this critical chapter has reshaped Israel’s security, strengthened Jewish unity, and fulfilled a long-awaited prayer.

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