Republicans in Congress Aren’t Exactly Taking Trump Seriously or Literally on ‘Owning’ Gaza

“The impracticality of it, I think, is hard to ignore,” said GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump

Trump’s drive to take the lead on rebuilding the Gaza Strip comes as his administration is slashing foreign assistance. Susan Walsh/AP

If President Donald Trump was looking for buy-in from congressional Republicans on his call for the United States to “own” the war-torn Gaza Strip, he’s not been immediately getting it.

“The impracticality of it, I think, is hard to ignore,” said GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer on Wednesday. “Gaza is not ours. It does belong to another country, and they seem to have control of the situation. And if they ask for our help, we should provide it. But I don’t think occupying another sovereign country is realistic.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune didn’t signal much immediate backing for Trump’s Gaza pitch either, simply telling reporters on Wednesday that “ideas like that will be thoroughly examined and vetted to determine whether something like that would make sense.”