President Trump in a Wednesday press conference while hosting Irish prime minister Micheál Martin at the White House appeared to backpedal on his plan to turn Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” by expelling all Palestinian inhabitants.  Trump told reporters “Nobody is expelling any Palestinians” in response to a question on whether he still stands by his ultra-provocative remarks which were tantamount to calling for ethnic cleansing of the enclave. REPORTER: What about the president's plan to expel Palestinians out of Gaza? TRUMP: Nobody is expelling any Palestinians. Who are you with? REPORTER: I'm with Voice of America, sir. TRUMP: Oh, no wonder. pic.twitter.com/SfosOKDnv6 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 12, 2025 “We’re working hard with Israel… to see [how] we can solve the problem,” Trump explained.  The fresh remarks stand in stark contrast with his earlier February words spoken alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he said, “The US will take over the Gaza Strip… I see it as a long-term ownership position.” He had explained that Palestinians in Gaza would have to leave and be resettled elsewhere. In the Wednesday back-and-forth with reporters he actually again called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer a “Palestinian” and then quipped “He used to be Jewish. […]