Revealed: Trump's Secret Note from Rubio on Gaza Peace Deal and Race to Announce First

Trump is known for taking credit for events and accomplishments

US President Donald Trump was two hours into a roundtable on Antifa with conservative influencers in the White House's Blue Room on Wednesday when Secretary of State Marco Rubio caught his eye. Rubio indicated he had important news. The president invited him over, and Rubio whispered something to Trump before handing him a handwritten note.

An Associated Press photographer at the event captured the handwriting on White House stationery that read, "Very close. You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce the deal first."

Trump informed the gathering, "I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we're very close to a deal on the Middle East, and they're gonna need me pretty quickly."

The urgency of the note coincided with Trump's chief Middle East adviser, Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and other senior officials joining a third day of peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas at an Egyptian resort Wednesday - indicating negotiators were addressing the most challenging aspects of an American plan to end the Gaza war.

Despite receiving the note, Trump continued his engagements and took media questions, visibly making Rubio anxious.

Approximately 10 minutes after initially mentioning his departure, Trump stated, "I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East - although I'm very well represented by our secretary of state. He could probably do an even better job than me, but who knows?"

"We don't want to take any chances. So we're going to go and do that... We're gonna get peace in the Middle East," he added, instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to continue in his absence.

Nearly two hours after Rubio passed Trump the note, at 6:51 pm, Trump triumphantly announced on his Truth Social platform that all parties had agreed to the first phase of the deal.

"I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan," Trump wrote on Truth Social, stating that all hostages would be released "very soon" while Israel would withdraw their troops "to an agreed-upon line."

Trump added: "This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!"

Trump is well-known for claiming credit for events and achievements, often exaggerating his personal influence. Last month, he essentially nominated himself for the Nobel Peace Prize, claiming in his United Nations address that he has "ended seven un-endable wars."

While he has contributed to peace efforts between some long-standing adversaries, his role in brokering ceasefires in several conflicts he claims to have resolved has been questioned by the nations involved.