- Trump suggests the U.S. should “take over” Gaza and relocate Palestinians.
- Netanyahu and Trump discuss Gaza’s future amid ongoing conflict.
- Controversial remarks spark debate over U.S. stance on the Middle East.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that the United States should “take over the Gaza Strip” and “own it,” reiterating his stance that Palestinians should relocate elsewhere.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump argued that Palestinians in Gaza “should not go through a process of rebuilding” and claimed they had “lived a miserable existence there.”
Earlier in the day, during an Oval Office meeting with Netanyahu, Trump suggested that Palestinians should “resettle permanently” in “nice homes” in another location
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings — level it out. Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area. Do a real job. Do something different.”
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“Just can’t go back,” he continued. “If you go back, it’s gonna end up the same way it has for a hundred years.”
Netanyahu, the first foreign leader to visit President Trump during his second term, expressed openness to the president’s idea of taking over Gaza, calling it a potentially “historic” move.
“We’re talking about it. He’s exploring it with his people, with his staff. I think it’s something that could change history, and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue,” Netanyahu said.
When asked whether U.S. troops would be deployed to Gaza, Trump responded, “As far as Gaza is concerned, we’ll do what is necessary. If it’s necessary, we’ll do that.”
“We’re going to take over that piece,” Trump added. “We’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of.”
A reporter questioned Trump about the legal authority to claim a sovereign territory. He replied that he had studied the matter closely for months.
“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East,” he said.
Trump insisted that the decision “was not made lightly” and claimed that unnamed Middle Eastern leaders had praised his proposal. Two sources later revealed that top Trump aides were aware in advance that he planned to announce his Gaza proposal during Netanyahu’s visit.
Several influential Arab nations have previously rejected any suggestion that Gaza’s residents be relocated to other countries.
Although Trump has supported a “realistic two-state solution” in the past, his remarks signal a drastic shift in policy. Gaza, a 139-square-mile strip of land bordering Israel and Egypt, has been a focal point of conflict for decades. Palestinians have lived as refugees there since Israel took control of the territory following the 1967 Six-Day War.
Asked who would ultimately inhabit Gaza once it was rebuilt, Trump suggested a cosmopolitan approach.
“I envision world people living there, the world’s people,” he said, clarifying that Palestinians would also be included. He described his vision for Gaza as “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Trump opened the news conference by reaffirming his strong relationship with Netanyahu, contrasting his presidency with the past four years under Joe Biden.
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He blamed Biden for global instability, stating, “The grave damage around the globe that was done, including in the Middle East … the horrors of Oct. 7 would never have happened if I were president.”
However, after the 2023 attack on Israeli civilians, Netanyahu had praised Biden for his “vital support for Israel.”
Netanyahu acknowledged Trump’s unconventional leadership but suggested his ideas often prove effective.
“After the jaws drop, people scratch their heads and they say, ‘You know, he’s right,'” he said.
He also told reporters that he and Trump had something else in common: both had allegedly been targeted by Iran.
