Majority of Americans reject Trump's plan to take over Gaza

A majority of Americans have rejected US President Donald Trump's proposed plan to take over Gaza in occupied Palestine. 

A CBS poll has shown that 47 percent of respondents opposed the plan, calling it a "bad idea" while only 13 percent supported it. Another 40 percent said that their opinion will depend upon the circumstances or were unsure. 

Widespread condemnation of the plan hasn't deterred Trump who told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday that he is "committed to buying and owning" Gaza. 

"We’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back. There’s nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site," he said. 

The President himself received approval from 53 percent of respondents who were satisfied by his approach to the conflict. 

The poll of 2,175 adults had a margin error of 2.5 percent points. 

An overall majority, 54 percent, said they approved of Trump so far in his presidency. However, a clear majority, 66 percent, said that Trump was not doing enough to lower prices of consumer goods, a key promise he made during his election campaign.  

His plans to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada and the European Union were opposed by 56 percent while a similar number approved of the 10 percent tariff he had imposed on China. 

American Presidents usually enjoy positive approval ratings at the beginning of their terms. Barack Obama had a 66 percent approval rating when he started his presidential term in 2009, while Joe Biden had a 57 percent rating one month after becoming President in 2020. Trump himself had the lowest first term approval ratings of any President in the past 70 years when he started off with 44 percent in 2016.