Criticism and concern spread across both sides of the aisle Tuesday night after President Donald Trump announced that the United States “will take over the Gaza Strip.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called the proposal “problematic,” adding that he does not think his constituents would be excited about sending U.S. soldiers to take control of Gaza.
“We’ll see what the Arab world says, but you know, that’d be problematic at many, many levels,” Graham said.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., slammed the proposal as “deranged” and “nuts,” calling U.S. military presence in the region “a magnet for trouble.”
“I don’t know where this came from, but I can tell you … that would not get many expressions of support from Democrats or Republicans up here,” said Kaine, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said there were “a few kinks in that slinky.”
Asked to elaborate, he said: “Obviously it’s not going to happen. I don’t know under what circumstance it would make sense even, even for Israel. Now, if Israel is asking for the United States to come in and provide some assistance to ensure that Hamas can never do again what they did, I’m in. But us taking over seems like a bit of a stretch.”
Trump announced his proposal after a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. He said the United States intends to take “long-term ownership” of the war-torn Gaza Strip, after having said earlier that Palestinians had no choice and would not “want” to return to the area following the Israel-Hamas war.
“We’ll own it. We’re going to take over that piece, develop it and create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it will be something the entire Middle East can be proud of,” Trump said of Gaza, adding that he envisioned many people living in the area and said it could become “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Netanyahu called the move something that could “change history” and said it was a “worthwhile” proposal that should be explored.
Upon hearing of Trump’s remarks, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., clutched his face in shock, saying he was at a loss for words.
Frank Thorp V / NBC News
“You can report that I was speechless,” said Coons, a Foreign Relations Committee member. “That’s insane. I can’t think of a place on Earth that would welcome American troops less and where any positive outcome is less likely.”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the proposal failed to address Palestinians’ concerns. Asked whether it was something the United States could handle safely, she said: “I don’t think it’s something that’s in America’s best interest.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., the only Palestinian American member of Congress, was blunter.
She called the proposal “ethnic cleansing” and “fanatical bull—” on X.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night on lawmaker reactions.
Some congressional Republicans voiced their support for Trump’s remarks.
Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Richard Hudson, R-N.C., both members of the House Republican Israel Caucus, were among those supporting the proposal.
“President Trump will never stop working to ensure historic and lasting PEACE!” Hudson wrote on X.
“Let’s turn Gaza into Mar-A-Lago,” Mace said in her post.
