In the 2007-08 season, Cristiano Ronaldo had his first goal-scoring peak, netting 42 goals as Manchester United clinched both the Premier League and the European Champions League. Throughout the season, Ronaldo delivered such outrageous goals that even seasoned commentators were left speechless, wondering: Is there any end to this boy’s talent? The same could be said for Donald Trump, who is waltzing from one major controversy to another, not giving his critics any time to launch a defence.
However, no controversy seems to match the seismic shock of Trump’s latest declaration concerning the Gaza Strip. In a move bound to ignite global debate, US President Donald Trump announced that America will take over and develop Gaza, asserting long-term ownership of the beleaguered territory. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint press conference, Trump boldly proclaimed his vision for “long-term US ownership” of Gaza, contingent upon the resettlement of Palestinians to neighbouring countries.
Netanyahu, never one to miss a historic moment, lauded Trump’s audacity, describing it as a transformative idea poised to reshape Gaza’s future.
Gaza, ravaged by relentless conflict between Israel and Hamas since October 2023, now lies in ruins. Once home to 2.1 million people, the narrow strip has been reduced to rubble, its infrastructure decimated, and its population displaced en masse. The destruction has left Gaza resembling more a post-apocalyptic wasteland than a bustling enclave on the Mediterranean coast.
“We will own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site,” Trump declared, sounding less like a diplomat and more like a real estate mogul eyeing prime beachfront property. His grandiose plans include levelling the ruins and fostering “economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.” When questioned about the potential deployment of US troops to fill any security vacuum, Trump remained characteristically brash: “We’ll do what is necessary. If it’s necessary, we’ll do that. We’re going to take over that piece, we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of.”
As one X user put it: “Trump heard “Free Palestine” and said “Sold!”
Trump even hinted at plans to visit Gaza, Israel, and Saudi Arabia during an upcoming Middle East tour, though, in typical fashion, he avoided committing to a specific timeline. Netanyahu, ever the seasoned statesman, praised Trump for “thinking outside the box with fresh ideas” and demonstrating a “willingness to puncture conventional thinking.”
However, Trump conspicuously sidestepped the elephant in the room: under what legal authority can the US claim long-term ownership of Gaza, a foreign land with its own fraught history and sovereignty issues? Details, it seems, are for others to worry about.
Only time will reveal the consequences of this audacious gambit, but one thing is certain: Trump’s Gaza announcement has not just overturned an apple cart—it’s set the entire orchard on fire.
Here are some social media posts on Trump announcing:
