U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the fighting ends and that no U.S. soldiers would be needed there. "The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting.

President Trump is defending his controversial plan to take over and rebuild Gaza. In a new post, he wrote that U.S. troops would not be sent to Gaza. Plus, NBC News has spoken to the family of freed Hamas hostage,

House Speaker Mike Johnson is vowing to power forward on a key budget committee vote early next week, setting up a clash with Senate GOP leaders who are itching to move a separate blueprint with their own strategy on how to pass President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham told reporters on Wednesday that he expects to begin marking up a budget resolution that will also direct committees to find offsets for the new spending with hopes of Senate action in coming weeks.

Senate Budget chair Graham wants to plow forward on a funding package that bundles border security and defense spending as the House continues to struggle with its plan.