SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
President Trump had mentioned it was, quote, “just about as much as Israel” if it needs to completely occupy Gaza. NPR’s senior political editor and correspondent, Domenico Montanaro, joins us. Domenico, thanks for being with us.
DOMENICO MONTANARO, BYLINE: Hey. Good morning, Scott.
SIMON: How would you sum up the president’s place on Gaza?
MONTANARO: Nicely, you recognize, that is somebody who mentioned he needs to show Gaza into the Riviera of the Center East, you recognize, relocate Palestinians out. So it is no shock that he’d permit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to basically do what he needs there. You recognize, his posture is creating some friction with European allies, a few of whom have mentioned that they are going to acknowledge a Palestinian state. Numerous that’s due to the hunger that we’re seeing in Gaza. And like with so many issues, what Trump cares about is optics. And he does not wish to see these photos of ravenous kids on TV. He is aware of that would come again on him and that he could be requested about it. So he is urged Israel to try to get extra support in. However past that, he does not appear to care very a lot about what Israel does so far as attempting to control there.
SIMON: And let me ask you about Ukraine as a result of final evening, the president mentioned there will be a gathering subsequent Friday with Vladimir Putin in Alaska about Ukraine.
MONTANARO: Yeah, you recognize, proper over the border. The Kremlin basically mentioned it could be simple for them to fly over to Alaska. And the important thing right here goes to be what comes of it. You recognize, does Trump endorse a few of these large concessions that Putin needs – doubtless vital swaths of Ukrainian territory? We do not know what it is going to seem like. You recognize, Trump has just lately been extra pissed off with Putin, feeling like he is telling him one factor after which doing one other in terms of the conflict. And international coverage consultants will inform you, you recognize, that is been Putin’s MO the entire time. However Trump has solely seemingly just lately began to see that.
Greater image right here, the conflict in addition to, you recognize, with Gaza and Israel – this has been a frustration for Trump. He needs to be acknowledged as a, quote, “peacemaker” and get each of those wars over with, however that is confirmed much more sophisticated than his, you recognize, simple marketing campaign pledges of bringing swift ends to each.
SIMON: Extraordinary redistricting struggle that started in Texas is now spreading to California. Why is it spreading?
MONTANARO: Nicely, I imply, that is turning right into a redistricting arms race that would have main implications for who controls the Home subsequent yr. You recognize, California now could be trying to be a Democratic counterbalance to what Republicans in Texas are attempting to do, which is squeeze out 5 extra GOP seats on the behest of Trump. Texas Democrats fled the state, attempting to disclaim Republicans a quorum to vote on this new map. Republicans are attempting every thing that they’ll to get them again – fines, attempting to get the FBI concerned. The very fact is, Texas Democrats aren’t going to have the ability to keep away endlessly. Republicans are most likely going to get their map.
And that is going to set off a sequence of occasions the place a number of states are attempting to redraw their maps. California is the massive key for Democrats ‘trigger it is the largest Democratic state the place they may get perhaps sufficient seats out to have the ability to counterbalance what Texas does. However that is going to require a poll initiative as a result of the state has an unbiased fee to redraw these seats. It appears like that’s going to go ahead. That is all occurring as a result of, frankly, Republicans have only a three-seat majority in Congress. Traditionally, the president’s occasion does not fare properly in midterms, and Trump is attempting to place all his chips in the midst of the desk as a result of he is aware of that if he does not have full management of the Home and Senate, in fact, the White Home, in 2026, he’ll be a lame-duck president beginning in November subsequent yr.
SIMON: And eventually, President Trump has as soon as extra mentioned he is pushing for a federal takeover of the federal metropolis, Washington, D.C. What are you able to say about it?
MONTANARO: Yeah. We do not know if he is truly going to undergo with that. However definitely, these threats and leverage – that is one thing that he is been attempting to do and present towards D.C. and different cities. You recognize, he acquired upset this week over a former DOGE staffer – the Division of Authorities Effectivity that was led by Elon Musk – being the sufferer of an tried carjacking. Trump has threatened a takeover of D.C. earlier than. He is been vital of the way it’s run. And little question there have been these rash of those sorts of crimes in D.C., however the information present that violent crime in D.C. continues to drop, in addition to in different cities. That is irrespective of for Republicans, although. They deal with these excessive anecdotes of crime to suit a story, and crime, Democratic governance of cities and immigration are all issues Trump ran on throughout the 2024 election.
SIMON: NPR senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro. Thanks a lot for being with us right this moment.
MONTANARO: Thanks.
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