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The White House tried to sell a skeptical Republican Party and foreign-policy establishment on taking over the beleaguered Gaza Strip after President Trump surprised many of his own allies with his plan to rebuild the enclave.
Concerns that
Trump’s proposal was both unworkable and unwise bubbled even among Trump’s vocal supporters. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that taxpayers wouldn’t cover the cost of developing the territory and that any Palestinian relocation would be temporary. She also stressed that the president hadn’t committed to sending U.S. troops to the region.
Republicans have lined up to applaud almost every one of Trump’s moves since he took office, defending the president against criticism from Democrats. But Trump’s proposal to take
long-term control of Gazamarked a rare moment of discord in a largely unified party.
“We love the president, but our focus in the War Room is East Palestine, not Palestine,” longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon said in an interview. Bannon was referring to his podcast, “War Room,” and the Ohio town that was devastated by the 2023 derailment of a train carrying hazardous waste.
One House Republican lawmaker said Trump’s proposal “just doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense to me,” adding that the idea could conflict with the GOP’s efforts to cut spending.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R., N.D.), a Trump ally, said, “I think it’s a big, visionary idea that is impractical.” …”