President Trump has called for the ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip’s more than 2 million Palestinians and their permanent displacement to Jordan, Egypt or other countries, and for the United States to take ownership of Gaza. Trump’s extraordinary comments came as he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House to discuss plans for Gaza following Israel’s 15-month war on the territory, which international law experts have said amounts to genocide.

President Donald Trump: “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, 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 housing for the people of the area.”

Trump said he had lifted a pause on the supply of U.S.-made 2,000-pound bombs to Israel imposed under the Biden administration. And Trump refused to rule out sending U.S. troops to Gaza.

President Donald Trump: “I don’t want to be cute. I don’t want to be a wise guy. But the Riviera of the Middle East, this could be something that could be so — this could be so magnificent.”