Trump's Imperialist Instincts in the Gaza Strip

The latest statement by US President Donald Trump regarding the Gaza Strip not only surprised the world. His idea reveals the imperialist instincts in his foreign policy doctrine.

Trump's shocking statement was delivered during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first foreign head of government hosted after his inauguration on January 20, at the White House, Washington DC, USA, on Tuesday (4/2/2025). Trump emphasized that the US wants to take control of the Gaza Strip and rebuild the enclave into the "Riviera of the Middle East" after the Palestinians are relocated out.

It is not yet clear how he will realize that desire. Nevertheless, he has mentioned Jordan and Egypt as the countries he hopes will accommodate Gaza residents. Those two countries have clearly rejected the idea. Trump believes that the substantial US aid to Egypt and Jordan can be used as leverage.

Initially, Trump revealed that it was not impossible for US troops to be deployed to carry out that desire. After seeing strong opposition, including from his Republican supporters in the US, he retracted the statement a day later by stating that Israel would hand over the Gaza Strip to the US so that US troops would not need to be sent to Gaza.

As reported, the rejection of Trump's plan is not only from Palestine and the Arab world. Western countries allied with the US also oppose it. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the relocation of Palestinian residents from Gaza "unacceptable" and "a violation of international law."

The plan is nothing short of ethnic cleansing.

The plan is nothing short of ethnic cleansing. Given the absurdity—the White House called it out of the box—of Trump's plan, many are not convinced that Trump's words reflect his true intentions. Some say it is Trump's tactic to explore the parameters of the negotiations he will conduct.

However, what Trump did was dangerous, especially as it came as the second round of Hamas-Israel ceasefire negotiations had just begun. Israeli media warned of the danger if, because of Trump's proposal, Hamas refused to continue the talks and continued to hold the remaining Israeli hostages.

If Trump insists on his plan, as stated by officials in Cairo, Egypt might threaten to withdraw from the peace agreement with Israel. The peace agreements with Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994) are the security foundations for Israel.

Trump's proposal on Gaza also reveals his imperialist instincts, which have been on display since he expressed his desire to take over the Panama Canal, Canada, and Greenland. Egyptian observer Mohamed Salmawy called Trump's proposal merely a repackaging of the expulsion of Palestinians, the basis for the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 (Al Ahram, 2/5/2025).

Trump’s expansionist rhetoric echoes old-style imperialism. It is only natural that the entire world—except Israel—has flatly rejected Trump’s proposal.