Former presidents slow to react as Trump-brokered ceasefire holds, hostages return home

Correction: This article originally failed to note former President Bill Clinton's statement.

On a day when the last remaining Israeli hostages returned home after two years in captivity, and both Israelis and Palestinians celebrated the end of the Israel-Hamas war, many of America's elder statesmen and stateswomen took longer to weigh in than foreign heads of state.

While world leaders hailed President Donald Trump’s efforts, former Democratic presidents (and presidential nominees) were slower to react to their successor’s role in brokering a ceasefire and taking significant steps toward a peace deal.

For instance, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi bestowed Trump with the “Order of the Nile,” the highest state honor awarded by Egypt for exceptional public service to the nation or humanity.

The hostages were released at 2:20 am ET on Oct. 13. Former Presidents Clinton and Biden didn't responded more than 12 hours later.

At 2:35 p.m., Bill Clinton posted a statement on his X account.

"I’m grateful that a ceasefire has taken hold, that the last 20 hostages have been freed, and that desperately needed aid has begun to flow into Gaza," Clinton wrote. "President Trump and his administration, Qatar, and other regional actors deserve great credit for keeping everyone engaged until the agreement was reached."

Former President Bush, a Republican who did not endorse Trump or Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in 2024, has not commented on the ceasefire agreement.

The agreement to release the hostages came after several failed bids to end the two-year war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage.

The ensuing Israeli offensive on Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

This week, the first phase in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan saw the return of twenty Israeli hostages from Gaza and almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel.

At 7:19 pm, Biden posted a statement on X pointing to work his administration had done while commending Trump.

"The road to this deal was not easy. My Administration worked relentlessly to bring hostages home, get relief to Palestinian civilians, and end the war," he wrote. "I commend President Trump and his team for their work to get a renewed ceasefire deal over the finish line."

At 9:54 p.m. Harris posted a statement commending the "President and his team" for efforts which made the agreement possible, without mentioning Trump.

While Obama responded to the Trump administration's plan for the region four days before the hostage release, he did so without naming Trump himself.

The response on social media from Trump supporters was swift.

“Obama welcomes the peace agreement reached in Gaza, but fails to mention and give credit to the person who made it possible: DONALD J. TRUMP,” said one social media user.

White House communications director Steven Cheung had a simple retort to Obama’s post: “Say his name... PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP” he wrote on X.

Obama has not made a statement since the hostages were released.

Of course, Trump doesn't tend to praise his Democratic counterparts. The president has a long history of going after Obama, starting with the birther conspiracy theory. Trump has also repeatedly accused him of treason after claiming without evidence that the former president and top aides had manufactured politicized intelligence against Trump after he defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The president has also made a habit of giving nasty nicknames to his opponents including such as "Sleepy Joe" and  "Crooked Hillary."

On Oct. 11, Clinton in an interview with CBS called the ceasefire plan a “significant first step” and said she commends Trump, his administration and the Arab leaders in the region.

Some Democrats were more explicit in their praise for Trump on Monday.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said a "weight has been lifted off the world" and said it was an “amazing day" for the families of the hostages. “And for @POTUS and all the negotiators who made this day possible,” he wrote in a post on X.

Democratic Sen. John Ossoff of Georgia relased a statement on Oct. 13 saying the ceasefire and release of the hostages have sparked hope for "an enduring peace in Gaza," adding that he commends the "efforts of the Trump Administration and international partners to achieve this moment"

World leaders hail Trump's 'uncompromising efforts for peace'

Many world leaders − even those who have had differences with Trump in recent months amid tariff negotiations − heaped praise on Trump as the hostages were released.

“We welcome the release of all the hostages after more than two years of captivity. Their freedom is a testament to the courage of their families, to President Trump's uncompromising efforts for peace, and to Prime Minister Netanyahu's determination,” wrote Indian Prime Narendra Modi on X.

Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, spoke glowingly about Trump at the summit in Egypt. He also quickly nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Kier Starmer expressed his “deep feeling of relief as hostages are released” on Oct.13.

“It is now crucial that we work together to implement President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza,” he wrote on X.

This article has been updated with new information.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal