The White House on Wednesday clarified that U.S. President Donald Trump has not committed to deploying American troops in the Gaza Strip under his controversial proposal to “take over” and “own” the war-torn Palestinian region.
This comes a day after Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference, suggested that the United States should take control of Gaza following the permanent resettlement of its residents in neighboring Muslim countries. He envisioned transforming the devastated enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” His remarks have since drawn widespread condemnation, with Hamas issuing a strong rebuke.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to clarify Trump’s stance, stating that while the President believes the U.S. should be involved in Gaza’s reconstruction to ensure regional stability, this “does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza.”
In what appeared to be a step back from Trump’s call for “permanent resettlement” of Palestinians, Leavitt added that the President now advocates for their “temporary relocation” to neighboring countries to facilitate development efforts in the strip, which has been ravaged by more than a year of war.
Trump’s comments followed his meeting with Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, where he declared that the U.S. would take over Gaza and “develop it and own it,” suggesting a long-term American presence in the Palestinian territory.
In a separate development, the U.S. Department of State announced on Wednesday that American government vessels will now be able to transit the Panama Canal without incurring fees.
“The government of Panama has agreed to no longer charge fees for U.S. government vessels to transit the Panama Canal,” the department posted on X, noting that the agreement will result in millions of dollars in savings for the U.S. government.
This decision follows a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Sunday. Trump had previously accused Panama of imposing excessive transit charges, threatening to reclaim control of the canal if “moral and legal principles” were not upheld.
Panama’s President Mulino dismissed Trump’s threat, emphasizing that Panama has full sovereignty over the canal, which was gradually transferred from U.S. control under agreements signed in 1977. The final handover took place in 1999, ending decades of American administration.
