How Trump came up with his crazy Gaza Plan

President Trump's dramatic proposal for the US to take control of Gaza emerged through an unconventional policy process that began with his growing preoccupation with the region's potential for development, according to officials familiar with the matter.

The idea, which took many officials by surprise when announced Tuesday, was shaped heavily by recent reports from Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who returned from Gaza last week deeply affected by the devastation he witnessed.

"The president has said he's been socialing this idea for quite some time. He's been thinking about this," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained Wednesday, though she acknowledged the plan wasn't formally written down until Trump's Tuesday remarks.

A White House official described Witkoff's stark assessment of conditions in Gaza as an "inflection point" for Trump. In his report to the president and later to reporters, Witkoff painted a dire picture: "It is the buildings that could tip over at any moment. There's no utilities there whatsoever, no working water, electric, gas, nothing."

While the announcement seemed sudden to many, Trump had discussed the concept with some advisers in the days leading up to the Netanyahu talks. His close Middle East advisers, including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Witkoff, were aware of Trump's plans to present the proposal. The two officials discussed the idea with Netanyahu Monday night during a meeting at Blair House.

Trump's interest in Gaza's coastal location has been a recurring theme in his thinking. During his inauguration speech last month, he had hinted at this direction, noting, "It's a phenomenal location, on the sea, the best weather. Everything's good. Some beautiful things could be done with it."

The plan represents a significant evolution from those earlier comments, when he had merely suggested he "might" help with reconstruction, to Tuesday's full proposal for US control and redevelopment of the strip into what he termed an "international, unbelievable place."

Officials said the proposal was partly intended to spur other nations into action on Gaza's future, as Trump viewed existing proposals for rebuilding the devastated region as inadequate. "We've been in this loop, this cycle... for too long and it isn't working," a White House official explained.

The announcement's timing and scope, however, left many key figures scrambling to catch up. One adviser on Middle East issues reported being "stunned" upon hearing the proposal for the first time during the news conference. Similarly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio first learned of the plan while watching Trump's announcement on television from Guatemala.

The administration is now focused on what they call "continuing steps," primarily ensuring the current ceasefire and hostage agreement remains intact. Trump's team will face their first major diplomatic test of the proposal next week, when Jordan's King Abdullah visits the White House for discussions that will likely center on this unexpected new dynamic in Middle East policy.

CNN contributed to this article.