(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggested Tuesday that the United States will “take over” the war-torn Gaza Strip.
The president said he sees the United States engaging in “a long-term ownership” of the Israeli-occupied territory, telling the media that the idea has received “tremendous praise.”
Trump said he envisions the United States taking responsibility for dismantling bombs and cleaning out the debris in the region, which has been reduced to rubble since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Can Trump take over Gaza Strip?
Although Trump said he wishes for the United States to own the sought-after small territory, it’s unclear how the U.S. would gain control of Gaza.
His administration’s deputy Middle East envoy Morgan Ortagus acknowledged the lack of information, telling NewsNation “we’ll have a lot of clarity for you in the coming days.”
Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told NewsNation he believes that Trump isn’t suggesting planting an American flag in Gaza, but rather opening up the region to American businesses.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said the 47th president’s potential business dealings in the strip shouldn’t come as a shock, as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, pointed to the high value of Gaza’s “waterfront property” last year.
Will Trump send US troops to Gaza?
When asked if U.S. troops would go to Gaza to secure the area, Trump said, “We will do whatever is necessary.” He did not specify whether they would engage with Hamas, if needed.
Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Wesley Clark believes that, while it might make sense to evacuate Gaza as construction begins, there are myriad questions that we don’t have the answers to quite yet.
“Is Hamas going to be in charge? Do they want the U.S. troops in? Are Gazans going to leave or evacuate part of it? Who’s going to take care of them? Who’s going to give them food and so forth?” Clark asked Tuesday on “CUOMO.”
“What happens when the first sniper kills an American soldier?” he added.
Clark pointed to the lack of answers — and potential U.S. involvement in a major Middle East conflict — as concerning on a national level.
“It’s not impossible, but it’s not something you just wave your hand and say, ‘Yeah, we’re taking over. It’s going to work,'” Clark explained. “It may not work because you have to have strategic consent, resources and all the accompaniment to make it work. That doesn’t come out of a press conference.”
Trump suggests ‘all’ Palestinians permanently resettle from Gaza
The suggestion comes just hours after Trump first floated the idea that all 1.8 million Palestinians living in Gaza should be resettled elsewhere.
In a Tuesday news conference, he said the Gaza Strip “should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have … lived a miserable existence there,” referring to Palestinians.
Trump suggested building enclaves for Palestinian Gaza residents in neighboring countries. He did not suggest the same for Israeli residents.
But where would they go?
Ortagus told NewsNation that one potential location is Saudi Arabia, which she said has “one of the best deradicalization programs” in the world.
Regarding Palestinians moving back to Gaza once it is rebuilt, Trump said he envisioned Gaza becoming an “international, unbelievable place” that includes Palestinians, though he did not provide a timeline for their return.
Gaza ceasefire talks delayed
Trump’s “takeover” idea comes as Netanyahu delayed talks for the second phase of a permanent ceasefire, which were scheduled to begin Monday.
President Joe Biden announced a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas days before leaving office. Though it occurred during the Biden administration, Trump has said he deserves credit for making the deal happen.
Netanyahu told reporters Tuesday he believes the 47th president provided “powerful leadership” but did not say who deserved credit for the deal.
Trump has not been confident about the long-term prospects for the truce.
“I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold,” Trump told reporters Monday.
NewsNation’s Robert Sherman and Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.
