Trump’s Gaza proposal and USAID workers and shipments in limbo: Morning Rundown

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle criticize Trump’s proposal to take ownership of Gaza. USAID shipments of critical humanitarian aid aren’t reaching communities in dire need. And dads find solace in baseball after the L.A. fires destroyed their neighborhood. 

Here’s what to know today.

Trump’s vision for Gaza: ‘We’ll own it’

President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. should take ownership of the war-torn Gaza Strip, a remark that was met with widespread condemnation.

In a news conference yesterday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said the U.S. would “develop” Gaza and “create thousands and thousands of jobs,” envisioning it to be “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Asked who would live there, Trump said, “I envision the world people living there, the world’s people.”

Trump said earlier in the day that Palestinians have no choice but to leave their homes in Gaza. During the news conference, the president suggested that approximately 1.8 million Palestinians should be moved to a new site or sites in other Arab countries, such as Egypt or Jordan, where they can “live in peace.”

Trump did not answer questions about the legality of essentially taking over a sovereign territory. 

Netanyahu, whose visit to D.C. was Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since the start of his second term, reiterated his goal of making sure Gaza never poses a threat to Israel again. “I think it’s something that could change history and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue,” he said of Trump’s Gaza Strip suggestion.

A spokesperson for Hamas blasted Trump’s remarks, saying, “We consider it a recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.”

Read the full story here.

Meanwhile, lawmakers were quick to reject Trump’s idea, with senators and representatives on both sides of the aisle calling it “problematic” and “deranged.” They noted that Trump’s idea does not address Palestinian concerns and that it wouldn’t make sense for Israel to allow the U.S. to take ownership of the region.

“We’ll see what the Arab world says, but you know, that’d be problematic at many, many levels,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said. Upon hearing of Trump’s remarks, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons clutched his head in shock, saying he was at a loss for words. “That’s insane,” he said. “I can’t think of a place on Earth that would welcome American troops less and where any positive outcome is less likely.” Read more about the reaction to Trump’s remarks.

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USAID upheaval leaves workers and critical shipments in limbo

Thousands of USAID’s direct hires around the world will be placed on administrative leave by the end of Friday, with some exceptions, according to an announcement on the organization’s website, after days of attacks by the Trump administration. The government is also working on a plan to return workers who are not in the country back to the U.S. The agency’s workforce totals more than 10,000, and around two-thirds of the staff work overseas.

USAID, or the U.S. Agency for International Development, delivers billions of dollars in humanitarian aid overseas. Many Democratic lawmakers have expressed outrage after President Donald Trump froze foreign aid funding for at least 90 days, signed a stop-work order to review agency operations and an ordered abrupt closure of its headquarters. Some Republicans have voiced criticism as well.

The shake ups are being felt globally in communities that rely on aid. Shipping containers with lifesaving antibiotics and antimalarial drugs are sitting in limbo at the Port of Sudan. Essential medicines are expiring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after a cash-strapped government contractor was forced to shut off the air conditioning. And millions of pounds of American-grown soybeans that were bound for refugee camps are being diverted to warehouses. Read the full story here.

More politics news: 

• The CIA offered buyouts to its workforce, including eight months of pay and benefits — though some employees aren’t eligible.
• The U.S. Postal Service said it’s suspending all inbound packages from China and Hong Kong’s post offices “until further notice.”
• Federal health workers are fearful and alarmed after a website called “DEI Watch List” published photos, names and public information for a number of workers.
• The Trump administration has ordered that chief information officers who control the federal government’s technology become political appointees it can hire and fire at will.
• The White House is preparing an executive order to eliminate the Education Department, though a president cannot unilaterally abolish a federal agency without Congress’ approval.
• Trump has changed his tune on Vladimir Putin as the clock ticks on his vow to stop the costly war between Russia and Ukraine. 
• Some states are moving to create their own DOGE-like groups and create rules to reinforce Trump’s immigration policies in a rush to align with the president’s MAGA agenda.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the offer from Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to jail U.S. citizens in his country is “very generous.” Experts said it’s illegal.

Best-selling writer Neil Gaiman accused of raping former nanny

Neil Gaiman, the fantasy writer best known for books such as “The Sandman” and “Coraline,” was accused in a new lawsuit of repeatedly raping his family’s former nanny and demanding that she call him “master.” The nanny, Scarlett Pavlovich, filed lawsuits this week in Massachusetts, New York and Wisconsin, accusing Gaiman and his estranged wife, Amanda Palmer, of violating federal human trafficking prohibitions. She is seeking over $7 million in damages. 

Pavlovich was among five women who came forward with abuse allegations in a July podcast, accusing Gaiman of unwanted sexual contact. Pavlovich, who didn’t use her full name in the podcast, came forward with her full name and detailed the allegations of abuse in a New York Magazine story published last month, which included allegations from a total of eight women. 

Gaiman previously denied allegations made by accusers, and Palmer posted on social media before the lawsuits that she could not comment, citing “ongoing custody and divorce proceedings.” Neither has publicly commented on the recent lawsuits. Read the full story here. 

Read All About It

• All 67 victims in the deadly crash between an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter have been recovered from the Potomac River.
• From lip balm to sneakers, here’s how Trump’s tariff on Chinese imports could raise prices.
• A federal judge in California said she’s unlikely to halt OpenAI’s plan to restructure, calling the legal feud between the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, and Elon Musk “a battle of billionaires versus billionaires.”
• Investigators are looking into whether recent burglaries of star athletes’ homes are connected to a raid yesterday on a business in New York City’s Diamond District. 
• Police said about 100,000 eggs worth $40,000 were stolen from a distribution trailer in Pennsylvania.

Staff Pick: After fires, dads find solace and a bond through baseball

A group chat usually doesn’t make for a good story. But with every conversation I had with a dad from the “Altadena Sandlot” text chain, I was more convinced people should know about this one. It had mostly been a place for more than two dozen guys to rib each other and plan weekly meetups to play baseball. Then, the Eaton Fire burned down many of their homes, and the group chat suddenly evolved into a support group for dads. Last weekend, they let me hang out at their first meet-up since the fires to hit some baseballs at a park and commiserate about what they’re going through. Given the male loneliness epidemic, I couldn’t help but think about how many men across the country could use something like this. — Tyler Kingkade, national reporter

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Choosing the right snowblower could make a huge difference in maintaining your home during the winter. Experts broke down the most important features to look for. Plus, nutritionists and doctors recommend the best electrolyte powders and explain the benefits.

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