The comments by US President Donald Trump on 4 February about Gaza revived him to consider first by both his son -in -law, Jered Kushner.
His latest plan keeps Gaza in terms of real estate ability, rather than humanitarian or political status for its inhabitants. After claiming that the US “will capture the Gaza Strip” and “himself,” Donald Trump said:
“We have the opportunity to do something that can be unprecedented. And I do not want to be cute. I don’t want to be a wise person. But ‘Rivera of the Middle East,’ it can happen. It can happen. It can be so spectacular.
It echoes the sentiments expressed by Kushner in an interview at Harvard University in February 2024, when Gaza’s waterfront property can be “very valuable if people focus on building a livelihood.” He said that from the point of view of Israel, he would try his best to “take people out and then clean it”.
Trump has since doubled, even suggesting that Palestinian’s wild has not been allowed to return to Gaza, “BAJ they are going to do much better accommodation,” he has Fox News on 10 February Told it.
It is a reminder that for Trump and his family, there is a business interest as someone else as the Middle East.
What are Trump’s commercial interests in the Middle East?
The region is currently run by Trump’s organization, real estate and the hospitality centenary by Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Junior.
Over the years, the Trump Organization has attacked several agreements with the International Branch of the Saudi Arabia real estate company Dar Global, Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development Company of Saudi Arabia.
Oman has a luxury trump-branded hotel and golf resort development, while Trump Organization and Dar Global have announced plans for two trump towers projects in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
A previous Trump Tower for Dubai, which included a hotel and apartment, was announced in October 2005. However, the project was canceled in 2011 due to the global financial crisis.
Trump already owns a golf club in Dubai, which was opened in 2017. The Dubai Golf Club was formed in partnership with Damac Properties run by Hussain Sajwani. In January 2025, Sajwani appeared at a press conference with Trump, where it was announced that DAMAC would invest $ 20 billion (€ 19.39 billion) for the construction of new data centers across the US.
New agreements in Oman, Jeddah and Dubai want to brand the new agreements design, management and towers and luxury resorts. The deal is mainly about branding rather than ownership, the family earn millions in exchange for using their names.
Trump and his relative have repeatedly spoken about the growing relevance of the Middle East for their commercial interests.
Shortly before the announcement of the Jeddah deal, Eric Trump told British Financial Newspaper financial Times: “We would definitely like to do it in this region. This area has an explosive increase, and it is never stopping.”
What about Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia, a major American ally in the Middle East, is fast central for the interests of the Trump family.
DAR, along with Global Goals, Trump Organization has closely collaborated with live golf, which is one of the state’s very Vaunted and controversial sports investments. The Trump Organization is the owner of many golf courses worldwide and has been paid by Live to host several tournaments at its places in the US.
Meanwhile, Kushner has close ties with Saudi Arabia and its sovereign wealth funds, Kushner’s own private equity firm, an affinity partners, which is different for the Trump Organization, which is known as Public Investment Fund (PIF) Is.
The PIF, chaired by Saudi Crown Price and Da Facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, has invested $ 2 billion in affinity. Several other major Gulf investors have invested money in Kushner’s project, including Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based asset manager Lunet.
Hence Kushner has adequate investment in Israel, especially insurance company Phoenix Holdings and Shlomeo Group.
Is there a conflict of interest for Trump?
Extensive business interests have led to criticism that there has been a conflict of several interests for Trump while dealing with issues in the region.
Although Donald Trump resigned from all management roles in his businesses when he was first elected to the presidency in 2016, his family was prominent in his political activities and campaigns despite continuous roles in business.
Kushner, meanwhile, has taken advantage of the contacts made during his previous role as an advisor in the Trump administration to build his investment portfolio in the Middle East. This has been criticized, especially their close relationship with the Saudi royal family.
However, he defended Himal in an interview with the US News website Exioses in an interview: “If you ask me about the work we did in the White House, for my critics, what do I do I say: I point to the same decision. It was not in the interest of America.
Does Trump really see Gaza as a possible real estate deal?
Both Trump and Kushner are clearly eager to think of developing Gaza in terms of a real estate project, but are currently as a home for more than 2 million Palestinians living there.
“People of the world are living there,” said Trump. “Make it in international, incredible place. The capacity in the Gaza Strip is incredible.”
Trump’s comments incited fierce reactions from Palestinians and rapidly respected a wide range of governments around the world. Its viability at many levels are heavy on its viability.
However, in view of the increasing real estate interests in the field of Trump organization, and the vague comments of both Trump and his son -in -law, they appear to be at least, serious about the idea.
Edited by: Uwe Hessler