The biggest challenge to Trump's Gaza plan revealed
Republican senators balked at Trump's Gaza 'takeover' proposal
By Sarah Ewall-Wice
Daily Mail
Feb 5, 2025
President Donald Trump is running into a major obstacle with his Gaza takeover proposal - Republican senators who are balking at the idea of spending U.S. taxpayer money to rebuild the strip.
The president's call for the U.S. to go into Gaza Tuesday evening sent GOP lawmakers into a tailspin and had others sounding the alarms.
During his remarks, Trump said the U.S. would 'own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.'
He also suggested the rebuild would be a 'Riviera of the Middle East' but approving U.S. funds for the effort would fall on Congress.
Less than one day later, it appeared that no Republican senators were onboard. GOP lawmakers dodged left and right, so they did not have to weigh in Wednesday morning.
Some said 'no comment' while darting into elevators while others claimed they had not yet had time to see what exactly he had proposed.
For those who had heard his remarks, there was a mix of confusion, frustration and outrage, even as Republicans have treaded lightly and largely stepped out of the way since Trump took office.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said the U.S. has "no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers blood"
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the idea of putting Americans on the ground in Gaza was a non-starter for every senator and 'problematic.'
It put him in the same boat as Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) who he often clashes with on foreign policy.
Paul posted the U.S. has 'no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers blood' Wednesday morning.
'We haven't been a somebody else breaks it, we buy it, kind of nation,' Senator James Lankford told DailyMail.com. 'So I'm trying to figure out what exactly is the plan.'
Lankford said he was surprised by the president's remarks and it was the first he had heard such comments from the president.
'I don't support spending taxpayer money to rebuild Gaza,' Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) told a group of reporters. 'I don't think it's our responsibility.'
Kennedy suggested Trump would flesh out some of the details in the coming days. He said Congress should have a role in deciding whether or not the U.S. rebuilds Gaza.
Palestinians surrounded by destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip on February 5
An aerial view of the destruction in the northern Gaza Strip as Palestinians attempt to move forward following the ceasefire
'The impracticality of it, I think is hard to miss,' said Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)
'I do think he floats these big ideas... to see what happens, see what shakes out,' said Cramer, who claimed he does not take it seriously.
'These are the kind of things we would only do I would hope at the invitation of the country,' he added.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) suggested it was not the best use of U.S. resources.
By Wednesday afternoon, Trump administration officials were attempting to walk back or clarify what the president had said from the podium.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking at a news conference in Guatamala on February 5 where he insisted Trump's Gaza proposal was not meant to be a hostile move but a willingness for the U.S. to be responsible for reconstruction
Secretary of State Marco Rubio who had posted that the U.S. 'stands ready to lead and Make Gaza Beautiful Again' was asked about it at a press conference in Guatemala.
'What the President Trump announced yesterday is the offer, the willingness of the United States to become responsible for the reconstruction of that area,' Rubio said.
'Seriously, it was not meant as a hostile move. It was meant I think as a very generous move, the offer to rebuild and be in charge of the rebuilding of a place,' he added.
By Wednesday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was also in cleanup mode.
'The president has not committed to putting boots on the ground in Gaza,' she said.
But Trump himself would not rule out troops on the ground when asked about it on Tuesday. He said they would 'do what is necessary' and suggested if that's what is necessary, that's what they would do.
Leavitt on Wednesday also stated that Trump has said 'the United States is not going to pay for the rebuilding of Gaza.'
'His administration is going to work with our partners in the region to reconstruct this region,' she claimed.
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