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1 week ago

Trump suggests U.S. 'long-term ownership' of Gaza as he says it could be the 'Riviera of the Middle East': Live

Speaking during press conference with Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump says ‘We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all unexploded bombs’

Oliver O'Connell,Joe Sommerlad,Gustaf Kilander
Wednesday 05 February 2025 00:50 GMT
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Trump proposes permanently displacing Palestinians in Gaza

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President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday night that the U.S. “take over” the Gaza Strip and that the U.S. will “own” the territory.

“Instead of having to go back and do it again, the U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip,” said Trump during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”

“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East,” he added.

“I don't want to be cute, I don't want to be a wise guy,” the president said before suggesting that Gaza could be “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

This comes as Trump also said Tuesday that he is in “no rush” to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping to resolve the new trade war between the world's two largest economies, which was ignited by his sweeping 10 percent tariffs on all Chinese imports.

This follows Trump's agreement to suspend his aggressive tariff hike against Mexico and Canada by one month after speaking with his counterparts in both nations. However, the threatened Chinese tariffs went ahead.

1 week ago

Trump reimposes 'maximum pressure' on Iran to drive down oil exports

Donald Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran, aiming to drive its oil exports down to zero to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Before his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump signed a presidential memorandum reestablishing Washington's tough policy on Iran that was practiced throughout his first term.

As he signed the memo, Trump described it as very tough and admitted he was conflicted about making the decision.He expressed openness to a deal with Iran and expressed a willingness to talk to the Iranian leader.

“With me, it's very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. Asked how close Tehran is to obtaining a weapon, the president replied, “They're too close.”

Trump's memo mandates, among other actions, that the Treasury Secretary impose “maximum economic pressure” on Iran through sanctions and enforcement measures against those violating existing sanctions.

It also instructs the Treasury and State Department to launch a campaign aimed at “driving Iran's oil exports to zero.” U.S. oil prices recovered some losses on Tuesday following news that Trump intended to sign the memo, which offset some weakness from the tariff dispute between Washington and Beijing.

Tehran's oil exports generated $53 billion in 2023 and $54 billion the previous year, according to estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Output for 2024 was reported at its highest level since 2018, based on OPEC data.

Trump successfully brought Iran's oil exports close to zero after re-imposing sanctions during his first term. Under Joe Biden's administration, these exports increased as Iran evaded sanctions.

The Paris-based International Energy Agency believes that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other OPEC members have spare capacity to compensate for any lost exports from Iran, which is also an OPEC member.

With reporting by Reuters

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 21:26
1 week ago

Trump's transportation head says money for projects will go to communities with high birth rates

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has instructed his agency to focus their work and programming on communities with higher birth and marriage rates.

Duffy, who was confirmed by the Senate last week in a 77-22 vote, is a former Wisconsin congressperson, reality TV star and father to nine. Now, he has issued a memo ordering that all “DOT-supported or -assisted programs and activities…give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average.”

U.S. birth rates reached a historic low last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Katie Hawkinson has the details.

Secretary Duffy says DOT is prioritizing communities with high birth rates

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is a father to nine

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 21:15
1 week ago

Trump says Palestinians should move to 'fresh piece of land' ahead of talks with Netanyahu

President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested that Palestinians who’ve been displaced from Gaza during war that began after the October 7 terror attacks on Israel should be relocated to a more habitable location in Egypt or Jordan because of the devastation wrought by more than a year of Israeli bombing.

Speaking in the Oval Office as he signed executive orders and other documents just hours before he was set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an official visit to the White House, Trump suggested Palestinians should be furnished with a fresh location to be constructed at the expense of other parties.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C.

Trump says Gazans should move to 'fresh piece of land' ahead of talks with Netanyahu

Trump has repeatedly pitched moving Palestinians from the land they’ve long counted on as the location of a future state

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 21:10
1 week ago

Trump and Xi yet to speak about tariffs, after China retaliates

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is not in a rush to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping to aim for a resolution of the new trade war between the world's two largest economies, which was ignited by his sweeping 10 percent tariffs on all Chinese imports.

On Tuesday, China implemented targeted tariffs on U.S. imports and notified several companies, including Google, about possible sanctions in a measured response to Trump's tariffs.

“That's fine. It's fine. We're going to do very well against China and against everybody else,” Trump remarked at the White House when asked about China's retaliatory tariffs.

Asked if he would speak with Xi at an appropriate time, the president responded: “I’m in no rush. I’m in no rush.”

A conversation between Xi and Trump, similar to the discussions held with Mexican and Canadian leaders on Monday, is viewed as crucial for potentially easing or delaying tariffs.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt informed reporters that a Trump-Xi call still needed to be arranged.

“President Xi did reach out to President Trump to speak about this, maybe to begin a negotiation. So we'll see how that call goes,” Leavitt told Fox Business Network earlier on Tuesday.

Beijing's restrained reaction to Trump's tariffs on all Chinese imports reflected Chinese policymakers' attempts to avert a full-blown trade war between the world's two largest economies by encouraging dialogue with the Trump administration.

The three major stock indexes closed higher on Tuesday, aided by energy stocks, while investors saw reason for optimism for a trade breakthrough between the U.S. and China after Trump delayed tariffs for Canada and Mexico.

With reporting from Reuters

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 21:02
1 week ago

Guantánamo Bay's population could increase tenfold with Trump's migrant crackdown — how are they preparing?

Guantánamo Bay served as home for the most notorious criminals who put America in their crosshairs, but it will soon become home to thousands of migrants awaiting deportation and now a massive surge in staffing and supplies is underway to prepare the facility.

The U.S. Navy base in Cuba has been ordered by President Donald Trump to prepare to house as many as 30,000 migrants as he ramps up efforts to fulfill campaign promises and deport millions of migrants from inside the U.S.

Ariana Baio looks at how they are preparing.

Guantánamo Bay's population could increase. Here's how they're preparing

Hundreds of U.S. military personnel are being sent to Guantánamo Bay to provide support for what could be up to 30,000 deportees

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 20:55
1 week ago

Inside USAID as Elon Musk works to dismantle humanitarian agency

Richard Hall writes:

The emails began arriving soon after Inauguration Day, and the intention was clear.

Jason Gray, an acting administrator installed by Donald Trump atop the U.S. Agency for International Development, delivered a flurry of orders to staff in late January aimed at radically overhauling the agency in the president’s image.

“We were inundated with a barrage of hostile, threatening messages,” one staffer told The Independent. “I think they were designed to instill fear.”

Continue reading...

‘Shock and fear’: Inside USAID as Elon Musk works to dismantle humanitarian agency

Elon Musk is leading an attack on the 63-year-old humanitarian agency, causing chaos for lifesaving programs abroad and staff at home

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 20:47
1 week ago

Why does Trump want to gut the Department of Education?

Almost five years ago, Donald Trump tried to slash the Department of Education’s budget for a fourth consecutive year.

The proposed $5.6 billion cut and, with it, axing of 29 programs that included after-school and summer initiatives for deprived children. His requests subsequently didn’t get past Congress.

Now, Trump isn’t just sending the Education Department to the chopping block, he is attempting to reduce it to nothing.

James Liddell reports.

Why does Donald Trump want to gut the Department of Education?

Dismantling the agency is high on Trump’s priority list, with the president previously pledging to ‘drain the government education swamp’

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 20:35
1 week ago

Watch: Immigration czar threatens to prosecute New Jersey governor

White House immigration czar threatens to prosecute New Jersey governor
Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 20:20
1 week ago

Could Trump's IRS policies interfere with tax filing season?

It’s the time of year that everyone enjoys least: tax filing season. But, adding to this year’s anxieties are Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting various federal agencies, and the potential effect on taxpayer returns.

A combination of resignations, cuts to taxpayer assistance programs, and current lack of senior leadership - the agencies former chief resigned on inauguration day - and staffing could slow down the Internal Revenue Service processes and leave people waiting for rebates.

Mike Bedigan reports.

Could Trump's IRS policies harm tax filing season and delay your refund?

A combination of resignations, cuts to taxpayer assistance programs, and current lack of senior leadership and staffing could slow down the IRS processes

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 20:15
1 week ago

Trump signs two new executive orders on Iran and UN

President Donald Trump prepares to sign an executive order in the Oval Office on February 4, 2025
President Donald Trump prepares to sign an executive order in the Oval Office on February 4, 2025 (AP)

President Donald Trump has signed two new executive orders.

The first reimposes maximum pressure on Iran.

“It’s very tough on Iran.” the president said, adding he’s “torn” on signing it.

“Hopefully we are not going to have to use it very much.”

The second executive order withdraws the U.S. from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Oliver O'Connell4 February 2025 20:03

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