Ex-President Trump Misstates Gaza Visit in Hugh Hewitt Interview
Former President Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee in this year’s US presidential election, claimed in a recent radio interview that he had visited Gaza, a war-torn region he has never officially been recorded visiting. The remark came during a conversation with conservative host Hugh Hewitt on Monday, which marked the anniversary of the October 7 attacks by Hamas. When asked for clarification, a campaign aide asserted that Gaza is “in Israel” and noted that Trump had visited Israel.
The Gaza Strip, under Hamas control since 2007, is not claimed by Israel, though it was under Israeli military administration from 1967 to 2005. Despite some Israeli calls for its annexation, Gaza remains distinct, separated from Israel and the West Bank. Trump did visit Israel and the West Bank in 2017 during his presidency, meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, but did not visit Gaza at the time.
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In the interview, Hewitt asked Trump if Gaza could be transformed into a prosperous area like Monaco. Trump responded, “It could be better than Monaco. It has the best location in the Middle East, the best water, the best everything. It’s got, it is the best, I’ve said it for years. You know when—I’ve been there, and it’s rough.”
A New York Times report on the candidate’s gaffe said it raised questions about his understanding of the region. The campaign’s response, The Times said, suggested an attempt to frame Gaza as part of Israel, aligning with the rhetoric of far-right members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Trump’s strong support for Israel has been central to his campaign, highlighting past achievements like relocating the US Embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights, and brokering the Abraham Accords, but polls show that reoccupation of the Gaza Strip would be a far less popular policy among Israelis and American supporters of the Jewish state.
