Geraldo Rivera on Trump 'explosive musing': Humans will inhabit Mars before US takes over Gaza

Television personality Geraldo Rivera on Wednesday panned President Trump's proposal for the U.S. to take over the Gaza Strip, calling the suggestion an "explosive musing."

“President Trump’s explosive musing on the future of the Gaza Strip is a lot of things: dramatic, bold, historic. it is also breathtaking in its utter lack of common sense, and recognition of the human rights of the people who already live there, the Palestinian,” Rivera said on the social platform X.

Rivera questioned what other country take the Palestinians who had been forced from their lands, describing them as "1.5 million hungry, frustrated, angry, heavily armed refugees." He ticked off a list of nations that were unlikely new homes: Egypt, Syria and, "of course," Israel.

"I predict the United States will have a viable habitation on the planet Mars before Gaza is rebuilt as an inclusive, idyllic sea front New Vegas or Atlantic City of the eastern Mediterranean,” the NewsNation correspondent-at-large said.

On Tuesday, Trump floated the idea of the U.S. taking over the Gaza Strip during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The president said the U.S. should have the responsibility of clearing the territory of rubble and unexploded bombs.

“I think you’ll make that into an international, unbelievable place. … 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 so magnificent,” the president said.

When asked about the chance of sending U.S. troops to Gaza, Trump said his country will “do what is necessary” as he was laying out plans for the U.S. to take the area over.

Much of the Gaza Strip has been turned to rubble in the war between Hamas and Israel launched after the Palestinian militant group's attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.

The Hill has reached out to the White House, the office of Netanyahu and the Egyptian Embassy for comment.

Topics

World leaders react to Trump's proposal for US to 'take over' Gaza

After President Donald Trump proposed the United States take over the Gaza Strip to turn it into "the riviera" of the region, leaders in the Middle East are reacting with shock. NBC’s Richard Engel ...
NBC News - 8h
Trump wants US to 'take over' Gaza, make it 'riviera of Middle East'

At a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday, President Donald Trump proposed a plan in which the United States would "take over" the Gaza Strip and make it ...
NBC News - 8h
US allies, adversaries reject Trump suggestion to 'take over' Gaza Strip

Both U.S. allies and adversaries alike rejected President Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. “take over” the war-torn Gaza Strip and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Trump floated the ...
The Hill - 7h
Trump says US will 'take over' Gaza: 'We'll own it'

He said the U.S. would "level the site" and create "an economic development."
ABC News - 8h
FirstFT: Trump calls for US to ‘take over’ Gaza and 2.2mn to be resettled

Also in today’s newsletter, EU’s ‘bazooka’ against Trump’s tariff threat and Alphabet shares drop
Financial Times - 9h
Trump says US will ‘take over’ Gaza Strip

Saudi Arabia pushes back on president’s plan to resettle Palestinians
Financial Times - 13h
Watch: The moment when Trump says US could 'take over' Gaza

The president proposes that Palestinians could be resettled while the US redevelops the war-torn territory.
BBC News - 19h
Trump floats US taking over Gaza Strip

President Trump on Tuesday floated the idea of the U.S. taking over the Gaza Strip, saying America should be responsible for clearing the territory of rubble and unexploded bombs and proposing an ...
The Hill - 20h