Leavitt on Trump's Gaza Plan: It 'Does Not Mean Boots on the Ground in Gaza'; Trump Is 'the Best Dealmaker on the Planet' (February 5, 2025)

The day after President Donald Trump proposed that the United States take over Gaza, the White House was asked whether that meant American troops. “But that does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza. It does not mean American taxpayers will be funding this effort. It means Donald Trump, who is the best dealmaker on the planet, is going to strike a deal with our partners in the region,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the briefing on Feb. 5, 2025, according to the transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

The video above shows the Feb. 5, 2025, briefing. Quotes are from the American Presidency Project and the Federal Register [1][2][3].

”I Would Reject the Premise”

A reporter Leavitt called Garrett pressed her. “On Gaza, the president has spent basically his entire public career criticizing foreign entanglements, nation building, sending American troops to fight abroad, particularly in the Middle East. This plan seems like it could ultimately involve all of those things,” the reporter said. “Can you explain this reversal and how building and owning Gaza squares with America First foreign policy?” [1]

“I would reject the premise of your question that this forces the United States to be entangled in conflicts abroad. The president has not committed to putting boots on the ground in Gaza. He has also said that the United States is not going to pay for the rebuilding of Gaza,” Leavitt said [1].

“Let me just take a step back here because this is an out of the box idea, that’s who President Trump is, that’s why the American people elected him. And his goal is lasting peace in the Middle East for all people in the region,” she said [1].

“He did not rule out American troops in Gaza last night. Are you doing that now?” the reporter asked. “I am saying that the president has not committed to that just yet. He has not made that commitment, and you know that,” Leavitt said [1].

”The Trump Effect Is Real”

Leavitt opened with a list of wins. “This week further demonstrated that the Trump effect is real,” she said, starting with the release of American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel by Hamas [1].

“Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, agreed to permanently supply 10,000 Mexican soldiers on the US border, who will be specifically designated to stopping fentanyl and criminal aliens from pouring into our country,” Leavitt said, crediting Trump’s tariffs [1].

“Throughout the transition and during his inaugural address, President Trump made it known that the United States cannot and will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue with its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal,” she said. Panama, she said, would leave China’s Belt and Road Initiative [1].

“Customs and Border Protection has approximately 79 miles of new border wall projects already underway in various stages of construction and planning,” Leavitt said. “The first flights arrived to Guantanamo Bay yesterday afternoon out of El Paso.” [1]

“On the American Taxpayer’s Dime”

Brian Glenn asked about the U.S. Agency for International Development. “USAID has gotten a lot of attention in the last couple of days, with some of these bizarre things that we’ve been — taxpayers have been funding,” Glenn said [1].

“And I can confirm that the more than $8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayer’s dime will no longer be happening. The DOGE team is working on canceling those payments now,” Leavitt said [1].

”Only Two Sexes”

Trump was to sign an order that afternoon on women’s sports. “Gender ideology insanity is over,” Leavitt said [1].

Asked about groups like the ACLU and GLAAD, she said: “Well, it’s been very clear. The policy of this administration is that there are only two sexes, male and female, pretty simple.” [1]

“Certainly an Interesting Choice”

A reporter in the back row asked about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “The WHCA announced that comedian Amber Ruffin, who has called the president a toddler with his pants pulled down, will be the entertainment for this year’s Correspondents Dinner. Does the White House have a reaction to this choice?” [1]

“Certainly an interesting choice,” Leavitt said. “I’ll talk to the boss about it and see what we decide.” [1]

By the Numbers

10,000: Mexican soldiers sent to the border, per Leavitt [1].
79 miles: of new border wall projects underway, per Leavitt [1].
$8 million+: in USAID money for Politico subscriptions, per Leavitt [1].
12: Cabinet members confirmed, per Leavitt [1].
12,000+: applications for the new media seat, per Leavitt [1].

What Happened Next

Trump signed the order. Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” says: “In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls.” [2]

The hostages came home. On Oct. 13, 2025, Trump told Israel’s parliament, the Knesset: “After 2 harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families; and it is glorious.” [3]

“This is not only the end of a war, this is the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God,” Trump said [3].

For Leavitt’s first briefing a week earlier, see HYGO News’ page on Jan. 28, 2025. For Leavitt taking over the press pool, see the page on Feb. 25, 2025.