Jordanian King Abdullah Arrives for White House Meeting With Trump Amid Increased Anxiety Over Gaza Resettlement Proposal

Latest Developments

Abdullah’s Objection to Gazan Resettlement Under Pressure: Jordan’s King Abdullah II, the first Arab leader to meet with President Trump since his return to office, arrived in Washington as the White House continued to push its proposal for the resettlement of Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip. Abdullah has previously said that Palestinian displacement is a “red line,” with the Royal Hashemite Court restating in advance of the February 11 meeting that the King rejects “attempts to annex land and displace the Palestinians.” Despite opposition from Jordan and Egypt — also named by Trump as a possible destination for Gaza residents — Trump has emphasized that he would seriously consider halting U.S. assistance to both if they refuse entry to the Gazans.

Israeli Security Cabinet Lauds Trump’s ‘Revolutionary Vision’: At a February 11 meeting to assess the future of the Gaza ceasefire agreement after Hamas announced that it would delay “until further notice” the next release of Israeli hostages due to supposed Israeli violations of the deal, the Israeli security cabinet praised what it called Trump’s “revolutionary vision.” Meanwhile, 73 hostages remain in Gaza, at least 34 of whom have been confirmed dead by the IDF. The fate of several other hostages is unknown, among them Shiri Bibas, who was abducted along with her two young children during the October 7, 2023, Hamas atrocities.

Jordan, U.S. Divided on Other Issues: In addition to the Gaza proposal, other potentially divisive issues in the U.S.-Jordanian relationship include a February 12 deadline for Amman’s payment of $110 million for the purchase of F-16 fighter jets and the potential extradition from Jordan of Ahlam Tamimi, a Hamas terrorist who is the subject of a $5 million Justice Department reward for her role in the 2001 bombing of a pizzeria in Jerusalem in which two U.S. citizens were killed.

Expert Analysis

“Jordan is an important U.S. ally in the Middle East and has been a reliable partner. U.S. security assistance to the kingdom is critical to Jordan’s national security as well as regional stability. However, as with every new U.S. administration, our allies must now recalibrate the relationship with Washington to adjust to the politics and policies of the new White House. The king will likely reaffirm his commitment to the U.S.-led security framework in the region and make the case for the resumption of aid to Jordan. The question is what Trump will ask for in return.” —  Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“This will be King Abdullah’s most contentious U.S. visit in his 25-year reign. With President Trump threatening to stop aid unless Jordan accepts Gazans, King Abdullah must persuade him by offering an alternative — one that includes great Jordanian involvement in Gaza’s post-war phase and stronger commitments to bolstering the kingdom’s relationship with Israel, particularly in security cooperation.” —  Ahmad Sharawi, FDD Research Analyst