Trump proposed U.S. takeover of Gaza met with little enthusiasm in Congress

by Jennifer Shutt, Missouri Independent
February 5, 2025

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s proposal to have the United States take over Gaza and potentially deploy American troops in the extremely volatile region failed to win over members of Congress, many of whom — including Republicans — said during interviews Wednesday they either won’t support it or need more details.

Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins, chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, which would need to supply the funding for the United States to take charge in Gaza, said she wasn’t inclined to support Trump’s proposal.

“I do not know the details of the president’s plan. It came out of the blue. It may be a negotiating tactic rather than a real plan,” Collins said. “But I do not see it as feasible based on the little that I know about it at this point, particularly if it’s going to involve the deployment of U.S. troops.”

Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin rejected Trump’s idea and questioned if he would be able to deploy U.S. troops under an existing Authorization for Use of Military Force that Congress approved following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. That AUMF has been used by several presidencies to combat terrorism in multiple countries, not just Afghanistan.

“He got a very public rebuke from the Saudis in the middle of the night,” she said. “And you know, many of the people in the Gaza Strip were already refugees from 1948. So the idea that there’d be forced removal, not only is it a violation of international law, it’s just a completely unfeasible and immoral thing to do.”

Slotkin said she would have to see the details of when and how Trump would potentially send U.S. troops to Gaza, but said she didn’t expect the existing AUMFs would provide him the authority needed.

“I think there’s a difference between sending U.S. troops for a mission just to be there and then forcibly removing a population, which violates international law,” Slotkin said.

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she didn’t believe the United States taking over Gaza would benefit the people who live there.

“I think they’ve seen enough turmoil in that region,” Murkowski said. “I don’t think that we need to contribute.”

Murkowski didn’t want to address whether Trump has the authority under an existing AUMF to deploy U.S. troops to Gaza or whether he’d need a new one from Congress.

“I don’t even want to speculate to that question, because I think that is quite frightening,” Murkowski said.

A role for U.S. troops?

North Dakota GOP Sen. John Hoeven said he would support the U.S. taking over Gaza in some capacity and the deployment of U.S. troops to the region, even if that means Congress needs to pass a new AUMF.

“If there’s a role there for U.S. troops, yes, I’m inclined to be supportive of that. We’d have to see the how and the particulars, but I’m very open to that. I think we do need to take strong action. I think that’s what President Trump is doing,” Hoeven said. “And if it would require an AUMF, I would certainly be open to that. So we have to see what role they play, make that decision. But yes, I’m supportive of strong action for a long-term fix here.”

Hoeven said it would be “jumping ahead” to speculate about U.S. casualties, should troops be deployed to Gaza.

“It’s a dangerous place, right? And we have the finest military, the best trained military in the world,” Hoeven said. “And this is a strategic ally for us. And we’re fighting a global war on terror, remember?”

Trump not committed to troops in Gaza ‘yet’

Trump announced his proposal during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening, saying the “U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it too.”

“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site,” Trump said. “Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings. Level it out. Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and the people of the area.”

Trump didn’t rule out placing American troops in Gaza, potentially bringing the United States into direct conflict with Hamas, the Iranian-backed terrorist organization that controls the area.

“If it’s necessary, we’ll do that,” Trump said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said more than once during a press briefing Wednesday that Trump hasn’t committed to placing U.S. troops in Gaza “yet.”

Leavitt also rejected the idea that America taking ownership of Gaza would lead the “United States to be entangled in conflicts abroad.”

“This is an out-of-the-box idea,” Leavitt said. “That’s who President Trump is, that’s why the American people elected him.”

Details to come

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said during a press conference Wednesday there will be “more details forthcoming” on Trump’s announcement that he wants the U.S. to assume control of Gaza. But Johnson seemed generally supportive of the idea.

“Here’s the problem, if you leave Gaza in its current form there’s always a risk of another October 7, there’s always a risk of proxies of Iran, all these terrorist organizations whose openly stated goal is to eliminate Israel as a state,” Johnson said. 

“So it just makes sense to make the neighborhood there safer. I think that’s logical. I think that follows common sense. I think people understand the necessity of it,” Johnson added. “And we’re going to stand with Israel as they work toward this goal and we’re going to stand with the president on his initiatives.”

Johnson said he plans to speak with Netanyahu, who is on an official trip to Washington, D.C., later this week about the proposal.

Johnson said Trump’s recommendation the U.S. take over Gaza, “was greeted by surprise by many, but cheer by, I think, people all around the world.”

“Why? Because that area is so dangerous,” Johnson said. “And he’s taking bold, decisive action to try to ensure the peace of that region.”

World leaders critical

Leaders from numerous countries as well as the United Nations have sharply criticized Trump’s pitch, with several saying a two-state solution is the best pathway forward for Palestinians and Israel.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “They (Palestinians) must be allowed home, they must be allowed to rebuild, and we should be with them in that rebuild on the way to a two-state solution.”

Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy said he expects Trump to release details on how exactly he wants the U.S. to take over Gaza, but said he would oppose any efforts to have Americans pay to rebuild the 140 square miles.

“There are two main issues with respect to Gaza,” Kennedy said. “Number one, who’s going to pay to rebuild it if we decide to rebuild it. And number two, who’s going to run the place.”

Kennedy said he does expect Congress would have some role to play if Trump were to try to claim Gaza as sovereign territory, but conceded he wasn’t sure what that role would be.

Kennedy seemed opposed to U.S. troops being deployed to Gaza, though he tried to brush aside questions about that as inconsequential hypotheticals.

“I don’t think any of us want to see American troops put in harm’s way, but you’re speculating,” Kennedy said.

Senators mull the concept

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he believes Trump “was trying to paint a picture of a Gaza without Hamas, which I completely agree with.”

Tillis said a question about whether he would support U.S. troops on the ground in Gaza was “jumping way ahead.”

“You know that’s not even likely but it’s good clickbait,” Tillis said. 

Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz, ranking member on the State-Foreign Operations spending panel, said “anybody who thought when they voted for Donald Trump that they were getting someone oriented towards peace and against American empire is getting a rude awakening.”

“This guy wants to establish a United States colony in the Middle East, and that is deeply, deeply, dangerous,” he said.

Schatz gave a thumbs down in response to a question about whether he expects Congress would approve the trillions of dollars that would likely be needed to rebuild Gaza and cover the cost of a U.S. troop deployment throughout that area.

‘Trying to shake things up’

Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman said he would describe Trump’s proposal for Gaza as “provocative,” though he said he believes the suggestion of the U.S. taking ownership of the region was about starting a conversation.

“To me, it’s about, I think, trying to shake things up and to acknowledge people have to start having an honest conversation about what’s going to be done about Gaza, because people can’t live in rubble and they don’t have, you know, utilities,” Fetterman said.

Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt said her “concern is to make sure the innocent people of Gaza have an opportunity to thrive and so do the people of Israel.”

Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said he has been focused on the confirmation process for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary, and hadn’t seen Trump’s comments about taking over Gaza.

“My brain has been so fried from everything,” Cassidy said. “Let me kind of digest everything that has happened since my process going through RFK.” 

Arkansas Republican Sen. John Boozman said he wasn’t familiar with Trump’s comments and couldn’t weigh in on whether he would support such a plan or not.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said “not now” when asked about Trump’s plan for Gaza. 

Last updated 2:21 p.m., Feb. 5, 2025

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com.