WASHINGTON (Oct 14) – US President Donald Trump on Monday declined to take a stance on the recognition of a Palestinian state, saying his priority was rebuilding Gaza after signing the Gaza ceasefire agreement alongside world leaders at a peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
“I’m not talking about single state or double state or two state — we’re talking about the rebuilding of Gaza,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One during his flight back to Washington.
He said discussions around the political future of Palestine would take time, adding, “A lot of people like the one-state solution. Some people like the two-state solutions. We’ll have to see. I haven’t commented on that.”
At the summit, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi hailed the agreement as a “pivotal moment” for regional peace and reiterated his country’s long-standing support for a two-state solution, describing it as the “only path” to a stable Middle East.
El-Sisi said, “It must be achieved in a manner that ensures our shared vision of cooperation among the peoples of the region, and among all countries.”
Trump’s remarks mark a cautious approach following his sharp criticism of international recognition efforts for Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly on September 23. Then, he had described such moves as a “reward” for Hamas, arguing they undermined peace efforts.
“As if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists for their atrocities,” Trump said in his UN address, referring to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that killed around 1,200 Israelis and led to the two-year war.
The US president has since maintained that peace must come before political recognition. “We have to stop the war in Gaza immediately,” Trump said. “We have to negotiate peace and get the hostages back.”
His latest comments underscore Washington’s position of prioritising reconstruction and humanitarian recovery in Gaza under the US-brokered ceasefire, while deferring the debate on Palestinian sovereignty — a stance that contrasts with growing European support for a two-state framework.