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

Trump administration officials are scrambling to respond to the president's grand plan to have the U.S. take over Gaza and rebuild it into a "Middle East Riviera." The unexpected nature of this idea has prompted officials to hope that other countries will propose their own solutions for the Gaza Strip, thus alleviating the pressure on the United States.

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 also serves as a reminder that policy ideas often begin with Trump, rather than going through a gradual process of deliberation by national experts before being presented to the Oval Office for discussion, highlighting his unconventional approach to policymaking.

Officials stated that part of the purpose of the proposal was to push for a solution to what Trump sees as a stagnant problem, as no other country has proposed a viable solution for rebuilding the area devastated by the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023. Regardless of how the idea originated, the proposal he made while reading from a prepared statement in the East Room was shocking, even to some within his own administration.

One Middle East advisor stated that he did not learn of the idea until Trump presented it at the press conference, expressing his surprise. However, others indicated that Trump had discussed the idea with some individuals in the days leading up to his meeting with Netanyahu. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Gaza last week and returned to Washington, D.C., impressed by the destruction he witnessed, telling Trump and later reporters that it was no longer fit for habitation, underscoring the dire situation on the ground.

Witkoff described to reporters, "The buildings are ready to fall down. There are no utilities, no water, electricity, gas available, nothing. God knows what kind of diseases might be festering there." He added, "So when the president talks about cleaning it up, he's talking about making it habitable. It's a long-term plan." Witkoff's description made a strong impression on the president, who became very concerned about the matter, prompting him to consider drastic measures. In conversations with aides, he lamented the lack of alternative plans proposed by other actors in the region.

Trump's spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, stated on Wednesday, "The president has indicated that he has been brewing this idea for a long time. He has been thinking about this." Nevertheless, she also acknowledged that the idea was not formally put into writing until Trump's speech on Tuesday, indicating the spontaneity of the announcement. "The plan was put into writing in the speech that the president delivered to the world last night," she said.

A White House official told CNN that Witkoff's description of his visit was a "turning point" for the president. The official said that Trump's close Middle East advisors, such as National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Witkoff, were aware that Trump planned to present the proposal yesterday. The official said that Waltz and Witkoff discussed the idea with Netanyahu on Monday evening when they met with the Israeli leader at Blair House. "This idea of let's just do what we've been doing for decades in Gaza, this 'bubble, rinse, repeat' is unsustainable," the White House official said, referring to how Trump and his team arrived at this conclusion, highlighting the need for a new approach.

A source familiar with the strategy told CNN that Trump's Middle East brokers are now prioritizing "keeping the trains running," primarily ensuring that the current ceasefire agreement and hostage deal are maintained, and that all parties "live up to their commitments." A White House official stated that Trump personally insists that he will be able to reach a long-term agreement with Jordan and Egypt to ultimately accept Gazans displaced by his proposed action, despite those countries' rejection of any plans 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. Like many regional leaders, the King of Jordan is now unexpectedly facing new dynamics in how to handle the extremely complex issue of Gaza, adding to the geopolitical challenges.

The president's comments surprised several cabinet members in the East Room. They were also caught off guard by the remarks as Republican leaders watched on Capitol Hill. Aides said the Gaza proposal was not raised at Trump's private meeting with Republican members of the Armed Services Committee, although the ceasefire and broader challenges in the Middle East were key points of discussion later last week. "No," a senior Republican aide told CNN. "The president never mentioned it."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was visiting Guatemala at the time, and he 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 portfolio, with Trump's longtime friend Witkoff serving as the U.S. envoy to the region. Rubio wrote on social media, "The U.S. is ready to lead and make Gaza beautiful again. We are pursuing a lasting peace for all peoples in the region." Trump said Rubio dialed in by phone to his meeting with the Israelis, "listening to every word we said."

It is unclear whether Netanyahu knew exactly what Trump intended to say, but the smile on his face clearly indicated that he liked what he was hearing. However, while Trump's own words were shocking, and he sounded more like a real estate developer than a U.S. president, his idea for Gaza steadily heated up as he welcomed Netanyahu to the White House. He read the sentence that shocked the world from a prepared statement: "The United States will take over Gaza."

The day after Trump made the comments, Waltz stated that the plan had been in the works for some time. "We've been looking at this for the last several weeks and months, and frankly, he's been thinking about this since October 7," Waltz said Wednesday on CBS. "He doesn't see any realistic solutions to cleaning up those miles and miles of rubble," Waltz continued. He added, "The fact is, nobody has a realistic solution, and he's putting out some bold, fresh, new ideas, and I don't think that should be criticized in any way. I think it will spur the region to come up with their own solutions if they don't like Mr. Trump's solution."

In public and private conversations over the past year, Trump has repeatedly emphasized the value of Gaza's beachfront location, considering it prime real estate for development. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also made similar points last year, calling Gaza's waterfront "very valuable." Kushner does not serve in Trump's White House, as he did in his father-in-law's first administration, but he is still considered a think tank on key issues, including in the Middle East.

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's the best. Everything's good. Something wonderful can be done," Trump said shortly after being sworn in. At the time, he said he "might" be willing to help rebuild. That willingness to help apparently evolved over the following two weeks 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," marking a significant escalation in his proposed involvement.

Sending U.S. 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 sharpest critics of Republican nation-building orthodoxy from the George W. Bush administration. Trump told West Point cadets in 2020: "We are ending the era of endless wars. In its place is a renewed, clear-eyed focus on defending America's vital interests." "It is not the job of U.S. troops to solve ancient conflicts in faraway lands that many people have never even heard of," emphasizing his isolationist foreign policy views.