Arab leaders convened in Cairo on Tuesday for an emergency summit aimed at presenting a counterproposal to President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan. The summit was held to discuss Egypt’s $53 billion comprehensive reconstruction blueprint for Gaza.

Before Trump proposed resettling Gazans outside the enclave, Egypt and other Arab states had shown little interest in Gaza’s reconstruction. However, given that Egypt has ruled out accepting displaced Palestinians for ‘national security’ reasons, it now finds itself compelled to devise its own plan.

With a $53 billion price tag, the plan is positioned as an alternative to Trump’s vision, and key details have already been shared by Arab media outlets. While Egypt proposes a temporary committee to manage Gaza for six months, Palestinians have made it clear that they will not accept any governing body that isn’t Palestinian or any foreign forces within Gaza. The plan is projected to take at least four and a half years. 

The Egyptian plan is divided into two phases: the first, lasting two years and costing around $20 billion, and the second, spanning two and a half years with a $30 billion allocation. The funds will primarily go toward rebuilding residential areas devastated by conflict. 

Importantly, the plan does not call for the displacement of Gaza’s residents, as Trump’s proposal does, and stresses the importance of Palestinian-led reconstruction efforts, and that the Palestinian Authority will collaborate with Egypt and Jordan to train a police force for Gaza. But Hamas has already rejected the plan, and the Palestinian Authority has made it clear that it will not engage in reconstruction efforts as long as Hamas maintains control.

‘The Saudis will fund Gaza if there’s a path to a Palestinian state and Hamas is gone,’ Ghaith Al-Omari, senior fellow at the Washington Institute and former executive director of the American Task Force on Palestine told Fox News Digital, ‘Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar want something from the Israelis in return, whether it’s an end to the war or security agreements. They’ll insist on a role for the Palestinian Authority, even if symbolic, for diplomatic reasons. The question is whether the current Israeli government can meet these demands.’

‘A militarized Hamas cannot remain in Gaza – the strip must be demilitarized, and Hamas must no longer be in control. The Emiratis are even more extreme on this issue,’ Danny Zaken, a senior commentator for Israel Hayom newspaper, told Fox News Digital, ‘The final draft of the Egyptian plan will avoid directly addressing Hamas. Instead of stating that Hamas will be removed and disarmed, it will say that ‘qualified Palestinian security forces will maintain order with Egyptian backing.’ This approach aims for unanimous approval without addressing Hamas’ fate, but the reality is that it has no practical validity, because in that case the plan has no financial backing,’ he explained.

Al-Omari observed, ‘Arab League summits tend to be a lot of posturing. Who’s going to take care of security? The PA can’t handle that – they’re too weak. No Arab country wants to send troops to Gaza, but they’re also under pressure from the U.S. to contribute.’

An Egyptian diplomatic source told Fox News Digital that Egyptian construction firms are ready to begin work, but the real challenge is political. ‘Egyptian construction companies are very capable, and they can rebuild Gaza in three years – if there is political will, mainly from Israel and the U.S.,’ the source said.

While Egypt is eager to lead the reconstruction process, its ambitions have created friction with key Gulf states, which are expected to finance much of the effort. Zaken, noted, ‘The Saudis are concerned because the Egyptians want to control the entire process: Who gets the money, who oversees the reconstruction, who the contractors are for demolition and rebuilding? And even new housing and hotels. The other partners worry about corruption in the process.’

A former U.S. foreign service official warned Fox News Digital that Egypt’s ability to manage such funds is a concern. ‘The Gulf, which is expected to pay for it, is sick and tired of Egyptian corruption. If they fund the reconstruction, they will demand major oversight to ensure the money doesn’t get lost in Egypt’s power structure,’ the source said.

Meanwhile, Jordan, which has played a key diplomatic role, has managed to avoid direct involvement in the reconstruction debate. Following King Abdullah’s meeting with Trump, Jordanian officials felt that the pressure had shifted to Egypt and other Arab states. ‘The Jordanians were very happy with the outcome of the meeting with Trump. They feel that the pressure to accept [a] million Gazans is off them,’ Al-Omari said.

At the same time, the broader political future of Gaza remains uncertain. Al-Omari noted that despite the ongoing reconstruction discussions, the primary concern for Arab leaders is how to navigate Trump’s unpredictable stance on Gaza. ‘Frankly, the main thinking in Arab governments right now is how to engage in a covert process with Trump to walk him back from this. No one expects immediate results, but they do hope that this will move Trump away from the idea of depopulating Gaza,’ he said.

For now, all eyes are on the summit. However, as one former diplomatic source put it, ‘There’s no real plan yet – just ideas. Everyone is trying to shape it in their favor, but until Hamas’ fate is resolved, we’re all just talking in circles.’

Vice President JD Vance visited Capitol Hill to offer a message of support for his ‘friend,’ Elbridge ‘Bridge’ Colby, President Donald Trump’s contentious nominee for the Pentagon’s No. 3 spot, undersecretary of defense for policy. 

In so many ways, Bridge predicted what we would be talking about four years down the road, five years down the road, 10 years down the road. He saw around corners that very few other people were seeing around,’ Vance said in opening remarks Tuesday at Colby’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

‘If you look at his long career in defense policy, he has said things that, you know, frankly, alienated Democrats and Republicans. He’s also said things that I think both Democrats and Republicans would agree with,’ Vance continued. 

The vice president praised Colby as a ‘good man’ and an ‘honest man.’ 

‘You need people who are going to tell you the truth. We’re going to look you in the eye who are going to disagree,’ Vance said. 

The vice president’s presence demonstrates how seriously the White House is looking to shore up support for Colby, whose restraint-minded views have given pause to some more hawkish senators.

It is the second confirmation hearing Vance has attended after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who the vice president also has a close relationship with.  

Colby said in his own opening remarks, ‘There is a real risk of major war, and we cannot afford to lose one. I recognize these realities in my bones. It is my great hope that we can get through the coming years peacefully, with strength in ways that put us and our alliances on a stronger and more sustainable footing.’

‘I’m willing and ready to engage with those who disagree with me and adapt my views based on persuasive arguments and the fact is that I value our alliances deeply, even as I think they must be adapted, and that I love our great country, and will put its interests first and foremost.’

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., questioned Colby on his previously stated position, ‘America has a strong interest in defending Taiwan, but Americans can survive without it.’ 

‘our views on Taiwan’s importance to the United States seems to have softened considerably,’ Wicker told Colby. 

Colby disputed that point, arguing he had been shooting a warning flare that the U.S.’ ‘military balance has declined’ with regard to China.

‘What I have been trying to shoot a signal flare over is that it is vital for us to focus and enable our own forces for an effective and reasonable defense of Taiwan and for the Taiwanese, as well as the Japanese to do more,’ said Colby.  

‘So my position in terms of the value of Taiwan is consistent. But what I’m very fearful of, Senator, and I think this is agreed across administrations of both parties, is that, you know, the military balance has declined. So I’m trying to avoid a situation of which, because we are not adequately prepared.’

Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the committee, pressed Colby on his views on Russia and Ukraine. 

‘In November 2023, you said, ‘The invasion of Ukraine is an evil act by the Russians, and I morally support the Ukrainian defense.’ Do you still agree with that statement?’ asked Reed, D-R.I.

‘I think I stand by my record, but at this point, I think, there’s a very delicate diplomatic process going on where the president is rightfully trying to resuscitate the peace process. And I don’t think it’d be appropriate for me to weigh in,’ said Colby. 

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y., pressed Colby on whether Russia was an ‘adversary’ or an ‘ally’ to the U.S. 

‘Russia presents a significant military threat to Europe, and there are significant military threats to the homeland as well,’ said Colby. ‘We can… diminish, you know, the potential for direct confrontation with Russia in the same way with China.’

Colby’s confirmation process has rankled Iran hawks, and at least Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has privately expressed skepticism. Wicker previously told Roll Call that Colby’s nomination poses ‘a concern to a number of senators.’ 

Colby, who worked at the Pentagon during Trump’s first term and was a lead author on the 2018 U.S. National Security Strategy, has long asserted the U.S. should limit its resources in the Middle East and refocus on China as the bigger threat.

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett was ripped by conservatives on social media this week after claiming President Donald Trump is ‘occupying the White House’ and is an ‘enemy to the United States.’

‘Unfortunately, we have someone that is occupying the White House, and as far as I’m concerned, he is an enemy to the United States,’ Crockett said on MSNBC on Sunday. ‘I don’t know what it’s going to take to get people to wake up.’

The Texas congresswoman also suggested that Trump is a ‘dictator’ in her cable news appearance.

Conservatives on social media quickly pushed back against Crockett.

‘Almost sounds like this ‘defender of democracy’ would support an insurrection,’ Fox News host Laura Ingraham posted on X. 

‘When are we going to hold members of Congress accountable for their words and actions?’ retired professor Carol Swain posted on X. 

‘Dangerous election denier stuff here,’ former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., posted on X.

‘By all means, continue this leaderless, tired charade and keep losing elections,’ Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., posted on X. 

‘Yeah, she’s running in 2028,’ Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. 

‘Jasmine Crockett labeled Trump as an enemy of America while simultaneously saying she doesn’t understand anything that’s going on,’ conservative influencer account Gunther Eagleman posted on X. ‘She’s really this dumb.’

‘The unquestioned leader of the Democratic Party,’ CNN commentator Scott Jennings posted on X. ‘Keep going!’

Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Crockett has become one of the most prominent faces of the Democratic Party, opposing Trump’s agenda and the DOGE efforts of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. 

Crockett recently sparked a frenzy on social media when she told a reporter outside the U.S. Capitol that if she could tell Musk one thing it would be, ‘F— off.’

Ahead of President Donald Trump’s congressional address on Tuesday night, the Concord Coalition launched their new ‘fiscal responsibility’ advocacy group, Concord Action, designed to pressure Congress to tackle America’s $36 trillion debt crisis.  

Former Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, D-GA, the new executive director and president, in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital urged Trump to show he is serious about tackling America’s debt crisis. 

‘I’d like to hear that he’s really serious about putting everything on the table and putting together an effort that reaches out,’ Bourdeaux said. ‘He really needs to reach across the aisle. We know that to get the budget done, just on an annual basis, it does require Democrats to be involved. This needs to be a bipartisan effort.’

Bourdeaux, a Democrat who worked with Republicans during the Great Recession to balance Georgia’s state budget, said Trump needs to lead a ‘bipartisan effort’ that goes ‘line by line’ through the nation’s spending. 

‘It needs to be a thoughtful effort,’ Bourdeaux added. ‘It does need to tackle the waste, fraud and abuse, but anyone who is serious about balancing the budget knows that is not enough. We really have to go line by line through all the different programs that we do, including the mandatory spending, and look at places where we can find savings and efficiencies. And we also have to put the tax side on the table as well.’

The economy was the top issue for American voters in 2024, as four in 20 voters said inflation was the most important factor in their vote, according to 2024 Fox News Voter Analysis. Voters reported a negative view of the economy, with almost two-thirds rating the economy as not good, 40%, or downright poor, 24%. 

‘I know people approach this with a sense of despair, but it can be done. Back in the 1990s, I was actually a congressional staffer at the time. We did balance the budget. We did get together. It was done on a bipartisan basis. You know, Clinton was the president, but the House was Republican, at times the Senate was Republican. They got together, and they got it done. We really need to replicate that process again,’ Bourdeaux said. 

Bourdeaux said if America has balanced the budget before, then it can be done again. When former President Bill Clinton took office, the national debt was over $4 trillion, according to U.S. Treasury data. Republicans and Democrats worked across the aisle to achieve budget surpluses through legislation like the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

Bourdeaux said she wants to hear a real plan from Trump on Tuesday night. 

‘Right now, even getting to balance. Nobody has a plan. Nobody has anything serious on the table right now. We need to set up what that plan is going to be and then start executing it,’ Bourdeaux added.

Deputy White House press secretary Harrison Fields responded in a statement to Fox News Digital, ‘Since day one, President Trump has prioritized government efficiency, proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and the goal of signing a long overdue balanced budget. The Trump Administration is committed to ending the mindless spending of foreign wars, woke ideology, and unnecessary government programs that don’t serve the American people.’ 

Trump’s plan to slash federal spending is anchored in Elon Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump signed an executive order on Inauguration Day establishing DOGE ‘to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.’ The Trump administration has since directed government agencies to comply with DOGE’s departmental investigations. 

According to the official DOGE website, the department has estimated $105 billion in savings, attributed to contract cancelations, workforce reductions, improper payment deletions and other regulatory changes. DOGE has drawn the praise of many Republicans and the protest of several Democrats for its aggressive action to dismantle government waste. 

DOGE has inspired government officials at the city, state and federal level to prioritize efficiency, from San Francisco ordering employees back to the office, to the Environmental Protection Agency locating its own $20 billion in wasteful spending. 

Sens. Pete Ricketts, R-NE, and Jacky Rosen, D-NV, introduced a new bipartisan bill last week that would require the annual presidential budget to include data on improper payments to federal agencies. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-PA, announced the Payment Integrity Information Reform Act to target overpayments by the federal government on the House side as well. 

A Senate DOGE Caucus was established in November 2024 by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-IA., ‘to identify and eliminate government waste’ and works closely with Musk’s DOGE to ‘promote fiscal responsibility.’ The House also established the Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency Caucus to support DOGE through legislative action. 

The European Union has a new plan to spend $840 billion more on its own defense after President Donald Trump paused aid to Ukraine and peace negotiations hit a wall.

‘I do not need to describe the grave nature of the threats that we face, or the devastating consequences that we will have to endure if those threats would come to pass,’ EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen told reporters on Tuesday. 

She said she had written a letter to the heads of state of all European governments outlining a ‘set of proposals’ to ‘rearm Europe.’ 

‘A new era is upon us,’ von der Leyen wrote in the letter. 

The plan details ‘how to use all the financial levers at our disposal in order to help member states to quickly and significantly increase expenditures in defense capabilities, urgently now, but also over [a] longer period of time, over this decade.’ 

Countries in the EU would have access to loans of up to $158 billion for defense investment, according to the proposal. It also calls for relaxing strict debt ceilings agreed to by the bloc for defense spending. 

‘This will allow member states to significantly increase their defense expenditures without triggering the excessive deficit procedure,’ she said, referring to the rule that requires nations to bring their deficits down if they breach a certain amount. 

The proposal also involves using the existing EU budget to ‘direct more funds towards defense-related investments.’

‘With this equipment, member states can massively step up their support to Ukraine. So, immediate military equipment for Ukraine,’ she said.

The new defense plan comes as Washington recalibrates its relationship with Europe, and conservative Republicans push Trump to lead efforts to pull the U.S. out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 

European leaders held an emergency summit over the weekend in London to discuss how to support Ukraine after the Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brought peace negotiations to an abrupt halt. 

At that summit, European leaders discussed ways to keep military aid flowing, increase economic pressure on Russia, and establish a ‘coalition of the willing’ of European nations ready to offer forces to act as a safeguard against another invasion by Russia once the two sides reach a peace agreement. 

‘This is a moment for Europe, and we are ready to step up,’ said von der Leyen. 

Even France’s Marine Le Pen, leader of the conservative National Rally party, called the U.S. action a form of ‘brutality.’ 

‘I consider the brutality of this decision to be reprehensible,’ she said of the move to pause aid. 

‘It is very cruel for Ukrainian soldiers engaged in a patriotic defense of their country,’ she insisted, adding that it was ‘very questionable’ not to give the Ukrainians a warning before doing so. 

The temporary pause will apply to all U.S. military aid not yet in Ukraine. It is expected to last until the White House determines that Zelenskyy is committed to peace talks.

‘We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution,’ a White House official said.

After President Joe Biden shipped over a $500 million aid package on his way out the door in January, some $3.86 billion from previously approved aid packages remains, a defense official told Fox News Digital, including Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) and anti-tank weapons and thousands of artillery rounds and armored vehicles. 

A conservative nonprofit group will blanket the airwaves with an ad before and after President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night, touting his tax cut plan and promising more ‘winning’ as his term unfolds. 

‘He’s back,’ says the 30-second ad from the Plymouth Union Public Advocacy, a conservative nonprofit organization that ‘aims to advance public policies that make America stronger and more prosperous.’ 

‘And that means tax cuts. Not just one, not just a couple, a lot of tax cuts. President Trump is fighting to extend his 2017 tax cuts. To end taxes on tips, overtime, social security. And will stand in the way of a tax on our healthcare that would drive up costs.’

The new ad, titled ‘Winning,’ will bracket Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday and is backed by a six-figure buy and will run nationally on television and digital platforms. 

‘Trump’s back. That means we’re going to win,’ the ad says. ‘Not just a little, a lot. Thank President Trump for fighting to protect our tax cuts. We’re not tired of winning.’

The ad comes shortly after a Fox News focus group of Independent voters approved of Trump’s promise to cut taxes and eliminate wasteful government spending.

The House of Representatives adopted a resolution last week that would eventually become a massive multitrillion-dollar bill full of Trump’s priorities on the border, defense, energy and taxes.

Fox News Digital exclusively reported on Monday that Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress will have the theme, ‘Renewal of the American Dream.’

White House officials told Fox News Digital that the speech will feature four main sections: accomplishments from Trump’s second term thus far at home and abroad; what the Trump administration has done for the economy; the president’s renewed push for Congress to pass additional funding for border security; and the president’s plans for peace around the globe.

Several Democratic members are planning to boycott Trump’s address, including Sen. Chris Murphy, D-CT, who will instead hold a live prebuttal of the speech. 

‘I think that State of the Union speech is going to be a farce. I think it’s going to be a MAGA pep rally, not a serious talk to the nation,’ Murphy told CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ on Sunday.

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman, Aubrie Spady and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.