How Trump arrived at his idea to 'take over' the Gaza Strip

Trump administration officials are struggling to understand a bold and seemingly impossible plan proposed by the President: for the United States to take over the Gaza Strip and rebuild it into a "Middle East Riviera." Some officials hope this fanciful idea will prompt other countries to come up with their own Gaza reconstruction plans, fostering international collaboration.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Trump's idea, announced at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had been brewing for some time and appeared to originate with the President himself. This serves as yet another reminder that policy ideas often begin with Trump, rather than going through the slow deliberation of national experts before being presented to the Oval Office for discussion, highlighting his unconventional approach to policymaking.

Officials say that part of the purpose of this proposal is to push for a solution to what Trump sees as a stagnant problem. After Hamas launched a terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, Israeli bombing destroyed Gaza, but no other country has proposed a viable reconstruction plan. Regardless, the idea that Trump presented while reading from notes in the East Room came as a shock, demonstrating the administration's willingness to consider unconventional solutions.

One Middle East advisor said that he did not learn of the proposal until Trump presented it at the press conference, and was shocked by it. But others said that Trump had mentioned the idea to some people in the days leading up to his meeting with Netanyahu. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Gaza last week and, upon returning to Washington, described to Trump and reporters the devastation he had witnessed, deeming it no longer fit for habitation, underscoring the dire conditions in the region.

Witkoff told reporters, "The buildings there could collapse at any moment. There are no utilities, no available water, electricity, gas, nothing. God knows what diseases could breed there." He also added, "So when the President talks about cleaning it up, he's talking about making it habitable. This is a long-term plan," emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the proposed undertaking.

Witkoff's description impressed the President, and he began to focus on the matter. In conversations with aides, he lamented that other actors in the region had not proposed alternatives. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said on Wednesday, "The President has said, he's been public about this idea for a long time, he's been thinking about this." Nevertheless, she admitted that the idea was not formally put into writing until Trump publicly stated it on Tuesday, indicating a degree of spontaneity in the policy formulation.

A White House official told CNN that Witkoff's visit description was a "turning point" for the President. Trump's close Middle East advisors, such as National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Witkoff, knew that Trump planned to present the proposal yesterday. The official said that Waltz and Witkoff discussed the idea with Netanyahu on Monday night when they met with the Israeli leader at Blair House, signifying a level of coordination with key stakeholders.

The White House official said, in discussing how Trump and his team arrived at this position, "The concept of ‘rinse and repeat’ – let's do what we've been doing in Gaza for decades is unsustainable. We've been in this cycle for too long, and it's not working," highlighting the perceived need for a radical departure from existing approaches.

A source familiar with the strategy told CNN that, now, Trump's Middle East brokers are prioritizing "sustained steps," primarily ensuring that the current ceasefire agreement and hostage deal are maintained, and that all parties "abide by their commitments," showcasing a focus on immediate stability and adherence to agreements.

The White House official said that Trump insists that he can reach a long-term agreement with Jordan and Egypt to eventually accept Gazans displaced by his proposed efforts, even though these countries have refused to accept new Palestinian refugees. This will be a central topic of discussion when Trump meets with King Abdullah of Jordan at the White House next week, demonstrating the administration's intent to pursue the plan despite regional resistance.

Like many regional leaders, the King of Jordan now unexpectedly faces a new dynamic in how to handle the extremely complex issue of Gaza. The President's remarks surprised several cabinet members in the East Room. As Republican leaders watched from Capitol Hill, they were also caught off guard by the comments, further illustrating the unexpected nature of the proposal.

Aides say that even though a ceasefire and broader challenges in the Middle East were key points of discussion later last week, the Gaza proposal was not mentioned in Trump's private meeting with Republican members of the Armed Services Committee. A senior Republican aide told CNN, "No, the President never mentioned it," suggesting a lack of broader consultation on the matter.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was traveling in Guatemala at the time, first heard of the idea when he watched Trump's press conference with Netanyahu on television. The Middle East has been greatly reduced in his purview, with Witkoff, a longtime friend of the President, serving as the US envoy to the region, indicating a shift in the traditional diplomatic channels.

Rubio wrote on social media, "The U.S. stands ready to lead and make Gaza beautiful again. Our pursuit is for lasting peace in the region for all people." Trump had said that he had "listened to every single word we said" through phone calls from his meeting with the Israelis, showcasing a degree of receptiveness to Israeli perspectives.

It is unclear whether Netanyahu knew exactly what Trump intended to say, but the smile on his face made it clear that he liked what he was hearing. However, despite the shocking nature of Trump's own words, he sounded more like a real estate developer than an American president, but his ideas about Gaza steadily warmed as the day went on as he welcomed Netanyahu to the White House. He read the line that caused global shock from a prepared text: "The United States will take over Gaza," marking a significant departure from established foreign policy norms.

The day after Trump made the comments, Waltz suggested that the matter had been brewing for some time. "We've been looking at this for the past several weeks and months, and frankly, he's been thinking about this since October 7," Waltz said on CBS on Wednesday, indicating a sustained focus on the issue following the Hamas attack.

Waltz went on to say, "The fact is, nobody's putting forward realistic solutions, and he's putting forward some bold, fresh, new ideas that I don't think should be criticized in any way. I think if they don't like Mr. Trump's solution, this will prompt the entire region to come up with their own solutions," suggesting that the proposal is intended to stimulate broader regional dialogue and action.

Over the past year, Trump has repeatedly emphasized the value of Gaza's beachfront location in public and private conversations, suggesting it is prime real estate for development. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, made a similar argument last year, saying that Gaza's waterfront is "very valuable." Kushner does not serve in Trump's White House as he did during his father-in-law's first administration, but is still considered an advisor on key issues, including the Middle East, highlighting his continued influence.

Trump hinted at where his Gaza plan might be headed when he spoke at an inauguration ceremony last month. "It's a great place, on the sea, the weather is the best. Everything's good. You can do something beautiful with it," Trump said shortly after being sworn in. He said he was "probably" willing to help rebuild at the time, indicating an initial willingness to provide assistance.

In the two weeks that followed, that open willingness to help apparently evolved into the plan he unveiled on Tuesday to take control of the Gaza Strip – possibly with the help of the U.S. military – and rebuild it into an "international, incredible place," representing a significant escalation in the proposed level of involvement.

Sending American troops to the region would stand in stark contrast to Trump's long-standing criticism of nation-building and foreign entanglements. He has been one of the most vocal critics of Republican nation-building orthodoxy from the George W. Bush administration, underscoring the potential contradiction in his proposed policy.

Trump told West Point cadets in 2020, "We are ending the era of endless wars. In its place is a renewed focus on defending America's vital interests, plain and simple. It is not the duty of U.S. troops to solve ancient conflicts in faraway lands that many people have never even heard of," highlighting his previous stance against foreign intervention and raising questions about the consistency of his current proposal.