Messaging Guidance:
Who asked for this? Trump Proposes U.S. Takeover and Occupation of Gaza
Background:
Yesterday, President Trump proposed that the United States should seize control of Gaza and displace the entire Palestinian population of the devastated seaside enclave, one of the most brazen ideas that any American leader has advanced in years.
‘“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,’ Mr. Trump said at a news conference Tuesday evening. ‘We’ll own it and be responsible’ for disposing of unexploded munitions and rebuilding Gaza into a mecca for jobs and tourism. Sounding like the real estate developer he once was, Mr. Trump vowed to turn it into ‘the Riviera of the Middle East.’ “If it’s necessary, we’ll do that [send in U.S. troops]. We’re gonna take over that piece and we’re gonna develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs.”
Talking Points:
President Trump ran for President on lowering prices and getting the U.S. out of foreign wars. But now, he’s breaking those promises by pledging to “take over” the Gaza Strip – a brazen proposal that would involve sending thousands of U.S. troops back to the Middle East on a dangerous and complex nation-building project that the American people have soundly rejected.
Trump’s proposal to turn Gaza into “the Riviera of the Middle East” would involve thousands of U.S. troops fighting an urban insurgency while supporting a reconstruction project that his own advisors predict could take 10 to 15 years and cost tens of billions of dollars. Does that sound familiar?
Who asked for this? An invasion and occupation of Gaza does nothing to make groceries more affordable, lower the price of gasoline, or shrink America’s role in conflicts overseas. In fact, it would do exactly the opposite.
To make matters worse, Trump’s plan may unravel a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that was painfully negotiated by the United States – reigniting a destructive conflict and imperiling the lives of dozens of hostages set to be released.
Trump’s chaotic and poorly-thought-out proposal would endanger the lives of U.S. service members, threaten to sow further chaos in the Middle East, cost billions of American taxpayer dollars, and undermine U.S. national security. The American people deserve better than this.
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Canada pledged to levy more than $100 billion in retaliatory tariffs on the United States, which would harm both small businesses and major corporations in the U.S. – threatening even further economic damage and job losses. With those, threats hanging over their heads, it’s very likely that many American businesses that depend on business overseas would be forced to shut their doors due to Trump’s reckless behavior.
Published: February 2025