Trump now questions Tony Blair’s suitability for role in Gaza

US President Donald Trump has appeared to back away from his earlier suggestion that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair could help oversee Gaza under a ceasefire deal, saying he is unsure whether the former premier would be "popular with all."

"First, I want to find out if Tony would be popular with all, because I just don't know that... I want to find out that he's an acceptable choice to everybody," the US president said during an interview on Air Force One en route to Israel overnight.

Trump had surprised many by naming Blair as a possible member of what he called a "Board of Peace" to help administer Gaza, describing him as a "good man" and saying he would serve "alongside other distinguished figures."

But now he appeared to soften his stance, saying he wanted the Board of Peace "up and running quickly" but suggested Blair's role was not confirmed.

Blair's record in the Middle East remains deeply divisive.

His role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq -- launched on flawed intelligence and the false premise of weapons of mass destruction -- continues to overshadow his later diplomatic efforts.

The 2016 Chilcot Inquiry concluded that Britain went to war before all peaceful options had been exhausted and that Blair overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein.

For much of the Arab world -- and for many in Britain -- Blair is seen not as a neutral statesman but as a war criminal. That legacy looms large over any potential return to Middle Eastern diplomacy.