Although the president had been talking about the idea for weeks, there had been no meetings on the subject, and senior members of his government were taken by surprise.

President Donald Trump's plan for the United States to take over Gaza, permanently displacing Palestinians who live there and creating the "Riviera of the Middle East," has upset Arab nations and Western allies and would overturn decades of American policy in the region.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that President Trump has not committed to sending troops to war-torn Gaza, and that he will not spend U.S. funds rebuilding it. Trump’s comments suggesting otherwise the previous day inflamed the region.