'Destruction, drama and delusion': Trump wants the U.S. to 'own' Gaza

Here & Now Anytime

WBUR

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4.6 • 911 Ratings

🗓️ 5 February 2025

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

During his meeting with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump suggested the U.S. take over the Gaza Strip after displaced Palestinians are relocated. Palestinian American journalist Rami Khouri joins us. And, the Trump administration gave federal employees a Feb. 6 deadline to quit their jobs in exchange for pay and benefits through September. But the terms of the deal keep changing. Law professor Nick Bednar explains the uncertainty and legal questions. Then, Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced concerns about Chinese influence over the Panama Canal during a recent trip to Panama. Bloomberg's Eric Martin breaks down the history of China's relationship to the Panama Canal.

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0:00.0	This is Ira Glass of This American Life.
0:02.2	Each week on our show, we choose the theme, tell different stories on that theme.
0:07.3	All right, I'm just going to stop right there.
0:08.8	You're listening to an NPR podcast.
0:10.2	Chances are you know our show.
0:11.9	So instead, I'm going to tell you, we've just been on a run of really good shows lately.
0:17.4	Some big, epic emotional stories and some weird funny stuff, too. Download us this American
0:23.2	life. We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal, and I don't want to be
0:29.9	cute. I don't want to be a wise guy, but the Riviera of the Middle East, this could be something
0:34.4	that could be so magnificent.
0:40.3	The idle musings of a real estate developer means something very different coming from the President of the United States.
0:52.9	It's Wednesday, February 5th, and this is here and now anytime.
0:57.0	From NPR and WBUR, I'm Chris Bentley.
1:00.5	Today on the show, President Trump and Elon Musk want to remake the federal workforce.
1:08.6	If they can't do it through the law, critics warn they'll do it by intimidating
1:12.2	and demoralizing civil servants, starting with a dubious offer of deferred resignation.
1:18.0	Federal employees should be skeptical of this offer. There's a good chance the author isn't
1:22.3	legally authorized and they will be stiffed. Also, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on a diplomatic tour of Latin America,
1:30.0	where do we stand on that whole getting back the Panama Canal thing?
1:33.5	The Panamanian government has been explicit and extremely emphatic
1:39.4	that they will not be returning or seeding control of the canal to the U.S.
1:45.9	Panama did make some concessions, though.
	...

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