Trump Jokes He May Not ‘Make Heaven’ Amid Israeli-Hamas Peace Deal
President Donald Trump joked with a Fox News reporter that he doesn’t “think there’s anything [that’s] gonna get me in heaven,” even after overseeing the historic Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement that secured the release of Israeli hostages.
While speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday en route to Israel, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy referenced President Trump’s earlier comments that ending the Russia-Ukraine war might improve his chances of making it through the pearly gates.
“How does this help? Does this help?” Doocy asked after details of the peace deal, which included the release of all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages, were announced.
“You know, I’m being a little cute. I don’t think there’s anything gonna get me in heaven. I really don’t,” Trump joked as reporters laughed.
“I think I’m not, maybe, heaven-bound,” he added, chuckling to himself. “I may be in heaven right now as we fly on Air Force One. I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to make heaven, but I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.”
Hamas released the remaining Israeli hostages after more than two years in captivity, with all of them reportedly walking under their own power to waiting Red Cross vehicles.
The first group of seven hostages returned to Israel at about 9:30 a.m. local time Monday, followed by the release of the remaining 13 several hours later.
More than 250 hostages were initially taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, surprise attacks on Israel.
While on Air Force One, Trump told the assembled reporters that “the war is over” between the two factions. He added, per the New York Post: “I think it’s going to hold.”
Trump also reiterated his previous claims that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also would not have happened if he had won the 2020 election.
“You would have millions of people living in Russia, Ukraine, alone. That would’ve never happened, and it didn’t happen for years, and I knew [Russian President Vladimir] Putin very well and was the apple of his eye, all the things I’ve said. Would’ve never happened,” he said.
Trump also told reporters that the fact that Israel and Muslim countries are celebrating at the same time is “very special” and has “never happened before.”
“This is a very special event. They had 500,000 people yesterday and today in Israel — and also the Muslim and Arab countries are all cheering. Everybody is cheering at one time. That’s never happened before. Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn’t, the other is the opposite. This is the first time,” Trump said.
“Everybody is amazed and they’re thrilled and it’s an honor to be involved. And we’re going to have an amazing time and it’s going to be something that’s never happened before. So I’ll see you on the plane, and we’re going to have a good time,” Trump added.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump the “greatest friend” Israel has ever had.
“No American president has ever done more for Israel,” Netanyahu said. “It ain’t even close.”
He thanked Trump for “standing up for Israel” at the United Nations, recognizing Israel’s rights in the West Bank — or the Judea and Samaria — and withdrawing from the “disastrous” Iran nuclear deal.
“Thank you for supporting Operation Rising Lion and for your bold decision to launch Operation Midnight Hammer,” Netanyahu said, referring to the June strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. “Boy, you got to hear this — this is the most fitting name ever given to a military operation, because a little after midnight, you really hammered them.”
Netanyahu named Trump as the first non-Israeli winner of the Israel Prize, referring to it as the country’s “highest award.”
