Bill O'Reilly details Trump's vision for Gaza after speaking with him

Veteran news host Bill O'Reilly suggested Wednesday that President Trump's controversial "Trump Gaza" video reflects a vision for economic prosperity in the region, not U.S. occupation.

"What Donald Trump believes is you're never going to have peace in that region unless there's prosperity," O'Reilly said during an appearance on NewsNation's "CUOMO."

"The fastest, easiest way to get to prosperity is to build the Mediterranean coastline and employ a lot of people in the building and the servicing of resorts," he added.

Trump shared a 33-second AI-generated video on Truth Social showing Gaza transformed from ruins into a beachfront paradise featuring golden Trump statues, luxury hotels and scenes of celebration.

The video comes as Trump has proposed turning Gaza into a "Riviera of the Middle East."

O'Reilly said he discussed this concept with Trump "in person" and that the president's vision predated recent public statements about U.S. involvement in Gaza. According to the former Fox News host, Trump envisions Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Arab nations funding the development, not America.

"He just wanted to scare Hamas," O'Reilly said of Trump's previous statements suggesting U.S. control of Gaza. "[But] it's never going to happen. The terrorists will prevent it from happening. But if it could happen, that would be a benefit to the poor Gazans."

Trump has also suggested Palestinians be permanently relocated after the war between Israel and Hamas is over.

The plan invited a bevy of criticism from Arab American and Muslim leaders, heads of Western countries and leaders of nations in the Middle East.

During an interview with Fox News that aired earlier this month, Trump also suggested Palestinians would not have the right to return to Gaza.

“In other words, I’m talking about building a permanent place for them, because if they have to return now, it’ll be years before you could ever — it’s not habitable,” Trump said at the time. “It would be years before it could happen.”

Hamas, which has long ruled in Gaza, blasted the video Trump shared, saying in a statement the president is “again proposing ideas and solutions that do not take into account the cultures and interests of the indigenous population” and calling for Palestinians to establish their own state.

The militant group added Wednesday that it is “ready to cooperate with any party that wants to contribute to alleviating the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip” and help rebuild the area while “respecting the will of our people and their adherence to their land.”

Israel and Hamas are currently under a fragile ceasefire agreement, which brought an end to the conflict that began with an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. The second phase of the deal is supposed to begin soon after the remaining hostages and Palestinian prisoners are exchanged.

Topics

Democrats denounce Trump’s gilded vision of Gaza: ‘Despicable’

House Democrats are lashing out at President Trump this week over his vision to turn the Gaza Strip into a luxury playground. The lawmakers said Trump, by promoting a fake video depicting post-war ...
The Hill - 19h
Ukrainians rally around their president after Trump seeks to denigrate him

Days before the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainians are as somber and tense as they were right before Moscow launched the war
ABC News - 6d
'Trump hasn't got any plan': Russians speak to BBC after three years of war

A BBC team asking Russians about their invasion of Ukraine draws police and state TV attention.
BBC News - 5d
Details on Senate-passed GOP budget plan after "vote-a-rama"

Senate Republicans have passed a budget resolution after pulling an all-nighter through a process known as "vote-a-rama." The passage comes despite President Trump's earlier backing of a competing ...
CBS News - 6d
Bill De Blasio speaks on Andrew Cuomo's possible return to New York politics

Former New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio speaks with NBC News' Tom Llamas about former Governor Andrew Cuomo's possible return to New York politics as Cuomo considers a bid for mayor.
NBC News - 1d
Watch: Trump speaks on Ukraine to coalition of governors

President Trump gave remarks Friday morning from the White House to the National Governors Association, as scrutiny mounts over his Ukraine rhetoric. His comments follow an address before the ...
The Hill - 5d
Donald Trump’s dream for a greater Gaza

Today, Gaza is a terrorist’s dream.
The Hill - 6d
Vance on Trump declining to endorse him: ‘It’s too early’

Vice President Vance argued that it's too early for President Trump to name his successor, after Trump declined to endorse his No. 2 as the Republican nominee in 2028. Vance, in an interview with ...
The Hill - 2d
Troubles loom for Johnson on Trump budget bill

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) notched a significant win Tuesday night when he muscled the House GOP’s budget resolution through the chamber in a stunning — and dramatic — vote, flipping a trio of ...
The Hill - 17h
New details revealed after 3 Revere women found dead in Belize hotel

New details have been revealed in the deaths of three women from Revere at a hotel in Belize.
CBS News - 16h
Trump speaks with several holdouts ahead of key budget vote

Politico - 1d
Don’t be fooled by double-speak on Trump’s transgender military ban

Rep. Gil Cisneros urges the military not to return to policies that ban transgender people from serving as themselves, as such policies undermine military readiness and national security.
The Hill - 1d
Watch live: Congressional Hispanic Caucus speaks on Trump's first month in office

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is set to hold a press conference Wednesday morning that will focus on President Trump's first month back in the White House. Their remarks, led by CHC chair ...
The Hill - 1d
Arab Leaders Scramble to Counter Trump’s Gaza Plans

Leaders of Gulf states met with their Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts to strategize before a broader Arab summit early next month.
The New York Times - 5d
Hims & Hers offers upbeat forecast, but stock slides after hours

Telehealth and wellness platform Hims & Hers on Monday offered a revenue outlook for the year ahead that topped Wall Street’s expectations, but shares fell hard in after-hours trading, in an echo ...
MarketWatch - 2d
House approves ‘big, beautiful bill’ budget after wild whip effort

GOP leaders canceled then rescheduled a Tuesday evening vote as they tried to flip holdouts.
Politico - 1d
Congresswoman votes for bill with newborn in arms after proxy vote ban

They call it the House, but it's no place like home -- at least not for young mothers. Scott MacFarlane shows how Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Colorado Democrat, made the point with a tiny bundle of ...
CBS News - 15h
Monica Lewinsky says Bill Clinton should've resigned after scandal

Monica Lewinsky is opening up in a new interview on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast about how differently she thinks things should have been handled when news broke of her affair with former President ...
NBC News - 3h
Senate adopts fallback budget in case Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ falters

Now the onus is on House Republicans to build enough support to advance their own party-line plan, or face pressure to back the Senate’s slimmer vision.
Politico - 6d
Johnson makes 'prayer request' ahead of critical vote on Trump agenda bill

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) asked for prayers as he prepares to bring the House’s budget reconciliation resolution, the vehicle for President Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda, for a floor vote ...
The Hill - 2d
Can Mike Johnson deliver Trump's "big beautiful bill"?

House Speaker Mike Johnson is working to build support for the Trump-endorsed budget proposal ahead of an expected floor vote this week. Senate Republicans passed their own budget plan Friday. ...
CBS News - 2d
Judge orders Trump administration to pay bills to foreign aid contractors

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali issued a temporary restraining order on Feb. 13 that ordered the State Department and USAID to restore foreign assistance funds.
CBS News - 1d
Democrat introducing bill to rehire veterans caught up in Trump mass firings

Rep. Derek Tran (D-Calif.) is introducing legislation that would require the government to rehire veterans who were terminated without reason under the Trump administration's mass layoffs across ...
The Hill - 1d
South Carolina Republican wants to put Trump on new $250 bill

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) says he is preparing legislation to feature President Trump on a new $250 bill. “Grateful to announce that I am drafting legislation to direct the Bureau of Graving and ...
The Hill - 22h
Senate Republicans seek major changes to House-passed Trump budget bill

Senate Republicans are staring down a major fight to overhaul the House's budget resolution as lawmakers eye big changes. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), with the help of President Trump’s muscle, ...
The Hill - 6h
Former FAA worker speaks out after firing, says he is "deeply concerned" for public safety

The Trump administration cut about 400 probationary FAA workers last weekend. Charles Spitzer-Stadtlander, former FAA national defense program worker, joins "The Daily Report" to discuss his firing ...
CBS News - 6d
Trump Appears to Back Away From His Gaza Plan

Earlier this month, the president said he favored taking control of Gaza and displacing the Palestinian population of the devastated seaside enclave. But Egypt and Jordan flatly rejected cooperating.
The New York Times - 5d
Trump shares AI video envisioning Gaza development with gold statue of president

President Trump on Tuesday evening shared a video using artificial intelligence (AI) that showcases his proposals for the potential development of the war-torn Gaza Strip, complete with a golden ...
The Hill - 1d
What an AI-generated video of Gaza reveals about Trump tactics

US President Donald Trump sparked a social media frenzy when he posted a video of Gaza generated by artificial intelligence on his site Truth Social. Marianna Spring has been analysing the online ...
BBC News - 22h
Trump Shares AI Video of Gaza as Luxury Resort, Drawing Scorn

One scene from the video, whose origins are unclear, shows President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sitting shirtless at a pool with drinks. Hamas condemned it as “disgraceful.”
The New York Times - 15h
No matter how distasteful we find Trump and Vance over Europe, they speak a blunt truth | Simon Jenkins

The US has chosen the worst possible moment and the worst possible way to say it, but it is right to call for a realignment. It’s tough being rightwing these days. You have to find something nice ...
The Guardian - 6d
IRS employee among those fired by Trump during tax season speaks out

President Trump is eliminating more than 6,700 at the Internal Revenue Service at the height of tax season. Nancy Cordes looks at the impact of the cuts on the workers and Americans who depend on ...
CBS News - 5d
Shares of Hims & Hers tumble 26% after FDA says semaglutide is no longer in shortage

Shares of Hims & Hers tumble 26% after FDA says semaglutide is no longer in shortage
CNBC - 5d
Judge frees New York man after sentencing him to 5 life terms 27 years ago

Walter "King Tut" Johnson was sentenced to five life terms in 1997 by a judge who later released him from prison after 27 years.
CBS News - 4d
Hims & Hers shares tumble after company misses on margin, says may stop selling some weight loss drugs

Hims & Hers Health reported fourth-quarter results on Monday that beat analysts' expectations, but the stock sank in extended trading.
CNBC - 2d
Long after he dominated for his beloved Bruins, Bill Walton never stopped making UCLA feel special

UCLA players and people around the team share their fondest memories of Bill Walton, whose life will be honored before Sunday's game against Ohio State.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
As Truce Talks Stall, Fears Mount for Israeli Hostages in Gaza After 500 Days

“I was in Gaza. I survived. Keith survived. Others will not,” said Aviva Siegel, who with her husband was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. She urged the Israeli government to secure the release of ...
The New York Times - 6d
Trump singled me out for ruining women’s sport. This is my response to him | Austin Killips

The president talks about trans athletes ‘invading’ women’s sports, while doing nothing at all to elevate, fund or support women athletes. Earlier this month, Donald Trump singled me out. In ...
The Guardian - Feb. 20
Musk doubles down on email from federal employees, Trump backs him up

President Trump commented in support of Elon Musk's initiative which led to an email sent by the Office of Personnel Management to federal employees asking for a list of accomplishments during ...
CBS News - 2d

More from The Hill

NY Post challenges RFK Jr. on Texas measles outbreak: 'This vaccine is safe'

The editorial board of the New York Post is urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to clarify that the measles vaccine is safe amid an outbreak in Texas. "Go to Texas, Mr. ...
The Hill - 21m
What we can still learn from the Reichstag fire

In the name of national security, which hadn’t actually been threatened, the German people surrendered their rights.
The Hill - 30m
Teacher union head taking fight to Elon Musk through Tesla stock

American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten urged top Tesla investors to review the company's current valuation on behalf of her union's members, in a letter Thursday. Weingarten, who heads ...
The Hill - 34m
Bondi orders DOJ to throw out DEI lawsuits against police, firefighters

Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) this week to throw out lawsuits the Biden administration filed accusing police and fire departments around the country of ...
The Hill - 40m
'Daily Show' would be 'delighted' to have Musk on after he says he's open to interview

Elon Musk could soon be sitting down with Jon Stewart, after the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) expressed a willingness to go on "The Daily Show" following fierce criticism ...
The Hill - 45m