In a striking display of President Trump's policy direction, U.S.A.I.D. announced the withdrawal of ten thousand staff members overseas, significantly undermining a long-standing initiative aimed at enhancing global American influence through aid. Concurrently, Trump proposed an ambitious, if controversial, plan to transform Gaza into a prosperous region, with unclear implications for its Palestinian residents. This dual approach illustrates a distinctive mix of isolationism and commercial ambition, with scant regard for humanitarian principles or international law regarding the rights of displaced populations.
Ten thousand people working for U.S.A.I.D., the main American aid agency, were told to pack up and come home over the next month, eviscerating a Kennedy-era initiative.
Mr. Trump was describing a new American venture to seize, occupy and rebuild Gaza into the Riviera of the Middle East, requiring immense financial resources.
His vision of America First is only selectively isolationist, driven by a vision of commercial profit, not humanitarian goals.
There was no discussion of a right of the Palestinians to return to the territory, which he said would be owned and governed by the United States.
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