‘Peacemaker’ Donald Trump claims credit for Israel-Hamas ceasefire – ‘my proudest legacy will be…’

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that his ‘proudest’ legacy would be that of a ‘peacemaker’ and a ‘unifier.’ Trump made the remarks in his first address after taking oath as of the United States.

Among other things, the ongoing ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas in the middle east found a mention in President Trump's speech.

“My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and a unifier,” Trump said addressing guests after the inauguration that was shifted indoors at the Capitol Rotunda due to extreme weather conditions.

Trump was referring to Sunday's hostage-prisoner exchange, when Israel returned 90 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three hostages held by Hamas.

“I am pleased to say that, as of yesterday, one day before I assumed office, the hostages in the Middle East are coming back home to their families,” Trump said taking credit for the ceasefire deal followed by a roaring standing ovation, including by outgoing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday morning followed by hostage release, potentially marking the beginning of an end to a 15-month war that has deeply affected the Middle East. 

47th US President

Earlier, Trump took oath of office administered by Chief Justice John Roberts, using both a family Bible and President Abraham Lincoln’s Bible. Vice President JD Vance was sworn in earlier by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, holding a family heirloom Bible. Trump took the oath as US President for the second time, surrounded by wife Melania Trump and their children.

Immediately after taking oath, President Trump announced a raft of executive decisions, saying that the "Golden Age" of America had just begun. Trump said that under his watch, the US will build the "strongest military the world has ever seen". 

"We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into," he said.

"Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent, and totally unpredictable," President Trump said.

Among slew of actions that would be rolled out through executive orders, Trump announced a "national emergency" on the southern border to push back against illegal immigration, renaming the Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America" and “taking back the Panama Canal,” among others.