US President Donald Trump's proposal to take over the war-torn Gaza Strip has sparked confusion and skepticism among some of his fellow Republicans, while others have backed his "bold, decisive" idea, Reuters reports.
In a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Trump suggested that the US "take over Gaza" and create a "Middle Eastern Riviera" after relocating Palestinians elsewhere.
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The idea has drawn international condemnation and some dissent from Republicans in Congress, who have largely backed Trump's initiatives such as pausing foreign aid and eliminating thousands of federal workers.
Skeptical lawmakers said they still favor a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, which has long been the basis of American diplomacy.
Some also rejected the idea of spending American taxpayer dollars or sending American troops to a region devastated by more than a year of war.
"I thought we voted for America first," Republican Senator Rand Paul said on social media X.
Republicans have a narrow majority in Congress compared to Democrats, who have rejected the idea completely.
"It's ethnic cleansing by another name," Sen. Kris Van Hollen told MSNBC.
Republican Senator Jerry Moran said that the idea of a two-state solution cannot be dismissed.
"This is not something that can be decided unilaterally," he told reporters.
Senator Lisa Murkowski said she would not speculate on any possible proposal to send US forces to a region "that has seen enough turmoil."
"I don't even want to speculate on that issue, because I think it's quite scary," she said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the plan as "a bold, decisive action in an attempt to secure peace in that region."
"We will stand with the president"
Johnson said he would discuss the issue with Netanyahu when he meets with him at the US Capitol on Thursday.
"I think people understand the necessity of this and we will stand with Israel as they work towards this goal. And we will stand with the president on his initiative," Johnson said at a news conference.
Trump campaigned on promises to avoid new foreign entanglements and "forever wars," and Reuters/Ipsos polls show limited appetite for his new expansionist agenda, even among Republican voters.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from January 20-21, after Trump's inauguration but before his latest comments on Gaza, found that only 15 percent of Republicans support the idea of the US using military force to gain new territory.
Representative Tim Burchett, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he supports Trump's proposal that the U.S. should develop valuable assets on the Gaza coast.
"I think Americans and capitalism have a real opportunity to cause some real change in the world, and this would be a perfect example of that," he told Reuters.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he was in favor of "bringing peace, stability and security to the region," but that any idea would have to be thoroughly vetted.
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