LETTER: Trump is no genius on foreign policy

I’m sure Donald Trump’s message to Hamas about releasing the hostages has the terrorists shaking in their sandals (Dec. 5 editorial). His “artful” deal-making with the Taliban resulted in the release of thousands of Taliban fighters just in time for them to rejoin their units before the United States and our allies sacrificed 20 years of blood and treasure in the withdrawal negotiated by Trump and unconscionably honored by Joe Biden. Now Trump blames (and threatens!) America’s generals for the debacle that resulted. But it was Trump’s deal with the Taliban that made that disaster inevitable.

The only skillful deal-making Mr. Trump has ever pulled off was in selling to the electorate the biggest bottle of snake oil ever foisted on the American public: himself. You can count on Mr. Trump being just as skillful in his negotiations with Hamas as he was with the Taliban: No artful deal. Nothing but snake oil. With Mr. Trump involved, Israel might as well surrender to Hamas right now.