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President Trump has doubled down on his call to transform Gaza from a devastated wartorn territory to “a big real estate site” that ultimately, the U.S. will own.
Speaking with reporters Sunday during an Air Force 1 press gaggle ahead of the Superbowl in New Orleans, Trump spoke about his plans to rebuild the shattered territory following nearly 18 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“Think of it as a big real estate site and the United States is going to own it,” he said, when pushed on Gaza.
Declaring that the U.S. was in “no rush” to develop it, the President was certain he could “bring stability to the Middle East” by transforming the Gaza strip over the course of his new term.
“[It’s] a tremendous problem – the Gaza strip”, he stated. “We’ll own it. It’s totally demolished right now. It’s a demolition site. It’ll be reclaimed. It’ll be leveled out, and fixed up. There won’t be anybody there. Hamas won’t be there.”
Trump spoke of the territory, which his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said would take 10-15 years to rebuild, in a utopian manner declaring that other “rich countries in the Middle East” would be given the opportunity to wade in and claim a stake in Gaza.
For the roughly 1.9 million displaced Gazans who have been devastated by Israel’s war – sparked after Hamas killed around 1,200 people on 7 October 2023, Trump said he was committed to “building some beautiful sites for the Palestinians to live in”, adding that his takeover would lead to them “living in harmony and peace probably for the first time in hundreds of years.”
“I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza,” he said, repeating a claim he first uttered on the second day of his presidency.
While the President did not state which other Middle Eastern counterparts would be involved with “rebuilding” Gaza, he declared the territory could be monopolized with other countries taking responsibility for the reconstruction in different areas.
“Other people may do it through our offices,” he added. The President went on to assert that Gaza was “a demolition site” that he would ensure not even Hamas would retreat to as well as stating that Palestinians would be “taken care of”.
“People can come from all over the world and live there but we’re going to take care of the Palestinians. We’re going to make sure they live beautifully, and in harmony, and in peace, and that they’re not murdered.
“This has been the most dangerous site anywhere in the world to live – Hamas has been a disaster”, he added.
Trump went on to tackle a barrage of questions on the stipulations of the ceasefire deal, DOGE and what “Elon and his group of geniuses have found” after probing vital federal institutions last week.
Following the comments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described Trump’s suggestion that the US could take ownership of the Gaza Strip, relocate its population, and redevelop as a “scandal”.
