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Donald Trump wants history to remember him as a man of peace. “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier,” he declared in his inaugural address—a line he has repeated on Ukraine, Gaza and Iran ever since.

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• But in Turkey today, where nato leaders are gathering for a summit, President Trump’s relationships with these allies are beclouded by his frustration with them for overreliance on the U.S. and even by his repeated personal insults, some of them astonishingly petty.

The Trumpet has written a lot about the failings of President Trump’s grand peace gestures: negotiating with and trusting in sworn enemies, naively ignoring ideology and believing all is transactional dealmaking, being blind to the evils of human nature.

What is remarkable is how often he flouts even the personal aspects of peacemaking. Real peacemaking starts small, with ordinary respect: treating people the way you want to be treated, Jesus’s own golden rule (Matthew 7:12).

• Trump has ridiculed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni—until recently one of the few close friends he had in European capitals—claiming she “begged” him for a photo at the G-7, and posted a meme suggesting she needs a restraining order.
• He has mocked French President Emmanuel Macron’s marriage in front of a room of dignitaries, taunted Britain’s Keir Starmer by saying “he’s no Winston Churchill,” and taken to calling Canada’s prime minister “governor” while reminding him that America keeps his country alive.
• Even Benjamin Netanyahu, supposedly a close ally, faces backlash among his agitated electorate after Trump told reporters that the Israeli prime minister “knows who’s boss.”

Such unprovoked and unhelpful slights seem increasingly common. A man who keeps score and can’t resist reminding everyone in the room who’s in charge is not practicing peace.

“The way of peace they know not,” God says of mankind in Isaiah 59:8—words the Apostle Paul reiterates in Romans 3:17. Peace efforts don’t fail for lack of trying—they fail because humans, however sincere, don’t know the way.

• Luke 1:79 says only Christ can “guide our feet into the way of peace”—a way that begins with humility, not humiliation.

Watching this administration’s peace efforts in Ukraine, Gaza and now Iran run aground undeniably illustrates the truth of these scriptures. But so too do many of the smaller interactions, fraught with friction, that are more subtly shaping the emerging world order.

A world is coming based on the true way of peace—grounded in the laws of God, of which love of neighbor is fundamental. We need to practice that way today: in our homes and our communities.

• “Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus said. Paul admonished, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

Learn and live God’s way of peace so you can be part of this revolution, led by the Prince of Peace.

Is Hamas Finally Surrendering?

Hamas announced yesterday it is dissolving its formal government over Gaza, the “emergency committee.” Hamas claims this is in preparation for a handover of power to the United States-backed Board of Peace.

• But it could be a ruse aimed at getting Donald Trump to pressure Israel to stand down.

Hamas has governed Gaza since 2007, when it violently wrested control from the Palestinian Authority.

• Israel, in its counteroffensive from 2023 through last October’s ceasefire, gained control of over 50 percent of Gaza—yet Hamas’s government has retained control in several slivers of territory. The ceasefire obligated Hamas to lay down its weapons. Hamas has thus far refused to do so.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in May a renewed offensive in Gaza. Israel claims it now controls about 70 percent of Gaza.

U.S. President Donald Trump previously opposed Israel defeating Hamas once and for all. But the lack of attention both from the media and from the White House suggests President Trump is tacitly approving Israel’s offensive and may have run out of patience with Hamas’s stall tactics.

• Thus, Hamas’s announcement could be aimed at showing Trump their commitment to the ceasefire.

But is anything actually changing? Signs say no:

• Hamas announced all its civil servants would continue providing services and that they are ready to be grafted into a new government sponsored by the Board of Peace. This implies the civil service is still getting paid by Hamas.
• A senior Palestinian official in the West Bank told the Jerusalem Post: “Hamas hasn’t declared an end to its rule in the Gaza Strip” by dissolving the emergency committee. Rather, “they immediately declared that another temporary governing body would run the Strip and appointed someone to head it.”

When President Trump announced the ceasefire last year, he claimed it was the start of “eternal peace in the Middle East.” Hamas may claim it is on board with the peace process. It isn’t. And it isn’t going away anytime soon.

Canada Chooses Germany Over South Korea

The Royal Canadian Navy will buy up to 12 attack submarines from German-Norwegian consortium ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced yesterday. It is the largest military procurement in Canadian history.

• The overall contract, which includes decades of support and maintenance, could be worth $70 billion.

This is a choice to draw closer to Germany. It opens the door to the formation of a joint Canadian, German and Norwegian submarine fleet to patrol the North Atlantic and Arctic. The decision will also lead to:

• Tens of billions in investment in Canada “across key defense and industrial domains, including space, munitions, autonomous technology, critical minerals and R&D,” according to Carney
• The creation and support of 100,000 jobs throughout Canada
• tkms constructing two submarine bases in Canada, one on each coast

tkms was competing with South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean for the bid. Hanwha Ocean offered Canada a submarine type that had already been built and tested, whereas tkms has yet to build or prove its model. Yet the European firm won.

• There is a clear political element to this choice. Canada has been pivoting toward Europe since Carney became prime minister last year, and this deal advances that trend.

Hosea 5:13 warns that Canada, as a descendant of Ephraim, would turn to Germany. This deal moves in that direction.

• Germany, however, is not Canada’s friend, prophecy shows. Several passages, such as Isaiah 10, Hosea 5 and Revelation 17, warn that Canada will fall to Germany along with Britain and the United States.

Now Germany has a foothold in North America.

IN OTHER NEWS

Russia and China practice war together: Russian and Chinese naval forces launched the “Sea Interaction 2026” war games in the Yellow Sea on Monday. The two sides are practicing air defense, anti-submarine measures and artillery firing as they prepare to make war together.

Ukraine strikes deep inside Siberia: Ukraine said yesterday that it struck Russia’s largest oil refinery in the Omsk region of Siberia with drones, about 1,550 miles from the Ukrainian border. This is the first such attack since 2022.

Le Pen for présidente? A French court today paved the way for right-wing politician Marine Le Pen to return to politics and run for France’s presidency next year by shortening her ban on holding public office.