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During a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump proposed that the United States should take control of the Gaza Strip, remove all Palestinians, and spearhead a massive redevelopment project.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump stated. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.”
He even hinted at a military occupation.
“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,” Trump explained. “Do a real job. Do something different. Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years.”
Trump, drawing from his real estate background, painted a vision of Gaza as the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
“I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East and maybe the entire Middle East,” he continued. “And everybody I’ve spoken to – this was not a decision made lightly – everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land. Developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent in a really magnificent area that nobody would know. Nobody can look because all they see is death and destruction and rubble.”
A Plan So Controversial Even Lindsey Graham Rejected It
Trump’s bold plan drew immediate skepticism, even from some of his usual allies. Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the biggest hawks in Washington, poured cold water on the idea.
“I think that would be an interesting proposal. We’ll see what our Arab friends say about that. I think most South Carolinians would probably not be excited about sending Americans to take over Gaza. It might be problematic,” Graham said.
Senators Rand Paul and Josh Hawley, two of the most reliable America First voices on foreign policy, also distanced themselves from the proposal.
But one voice unexpectedly spoke up in support—Democrat Senator John Fetterman.
Fetterman Embraces the Idea No One Else Wants
Fetterman has made a name for himself as an unconventional Democrat, refusing to toe the party line on Israel. His latest comments suggest he is open to Trump’s Gaza plan, a stance few on either side of the aisle have taken.
“It’s a provocative part of the conversation, but it’s part of the conversation, and that’s where we are,” Fetterman said. “The Palestinians have refused, or they’ve been unwilling to deliver a government that provided security and economic development for themselves.”
Fetterman doubled down by suggesting that the Palestinian people bear responsibility for the October 7 terrorist attacks.
“They allowed 10/7 to occur, and now Gaza has to be rebuilt. Where are the people going to live? Where are they going to go? So it’s part of a conversation with where they’re at right now,” he added.
KICK OUT The Cold and Say Hello to The Handyheater! Warming Any Spot INSTANTLY!
Is Fetterman Trying to Rebrand Before 2028?
With his re-election campaign looming in 2028, Fetterman appears eager to appeal to more moderate and conservative voters. But picking a controversial foreign policy issue—especially one that Trump’s base isn’t even fully backing—raises questions about his strategy.
Trump has been known to use sweeping proposals as a way to force negotiations, often scaling back from his initial maximalist positions. It remains to be seen whether this plan is a serious policy proposal or another example of Trump’s signature deal-making tactics.
Either way, Fetterman has once again set himself apart from his fellow Democrats. But whether that helps or hurts him politically remains an open question.
