Nearly 24 hours after Donald Trump surprised the world and upset many of his allies by stating that the United States would “take control” of the Gaza Strip, develop the “Middle East Riviera,” remove 1.8 million Palestinians from the territory, and even consider sending troops, high-ranking White House officials moved to downplay and even contradict the proposal.
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The idea was also rejected by Republican lawmakers.
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The "clarifications" came from the main US diplomat, Marco Rubio, and the White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt.
What was the White House clarification to Trump's statements?
Both officials said that the president was only seeking to temporarily relocate the approximately 1.8 million Gazans in order to allow for reconstruction.
Rubio, on his first trip abroad as Secretary of State, noted that Trump’s proposal was a “very generous” offer to help with the removal of debris and the reconstruction of the enclave after 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas. “In the meantime, obviously people will have to live somewhere while you rebuild,” commented the Secretary of State at a press conference in Guatemala City.
Leavitt said in a briefing with reporters in Washington that Gaza is "a demolition site" and mentioned the images of devastation.
"The president has made it clear that they need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza," he commented, and pointed out that the current site is "unlivable for humans" and that it would be "wrong to suggest that people should live in such precarious conditions."
Both statements contradicted what Trump said, who pointed out on Tuesday night that: "If we can get a beautiful area to relocate people, permanently, in nice houses where they can be happy and not be shot or killed or stabbed to death like what is happening in Gaza." He added that he envisioned a “long-term property” of the United States for a reconstruction project in the territory, located along the Mediterranean Sea.
Moreover, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth pointed out that the military is "prepared to consider all options" for the reconstruction of Gaza.
"We hope to work with our allies, our counterparts, both diplomatically and militarily, to consider all options," Hegseth said.
Netanyahu reiterated his praise and told Fox News host Sean Hannity: "It's an extraordinary idea and I really think it should be implemented. It needs to be analyzed and carried out because I believe it will create a different future for everyone."
Egypt, Jordan, and other US allies in the Middle East have warned Trump that relocating Palestinians from Gaza would threaten the stability of the Middle East, pose the risk of the conflict spreading, and undermine decades of efforts by the United States and its allies for a two-state solution.
Rubio insisted that Trump's stance "was not intended to be a hostile move."
"What he has very generously offered is the ability for the United States to come in and help with the removal of debris and ammunition, assist with the reconstruction of homes and businesses, and things of that nature so that people can then return," Rubio stated.
However, the White House said that Trump ruled out sending US dollars to help in the reconstruction of Gaza.
Trump hopes that Gaza will be a “gift” from Israel
This Thursday, through his preferred communication platform, his Truth Social network, Donald Trump seemed to rule out the deployment of troops to "control" Gaza.
“Israel would hand over the Gaza Strip to the United States at the end of the fighting. The Palestinians, people like Chuck Schumer, would have already been resettled in much safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region... The United States, working with large development teams from around the world, would slowly and carefully begin the construction of what would become one of the largest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth. No US soldiers would be needed!” Trump wrote, also ironically mentioning the Democratic senator who leads the minority in the Upper House.