Jordan's King Abdullah met with President Donald Trump at the White House. The meeting took place against the backdrop of Trump's threat to cut aid to the kingdom if it refuses to accept Palestinians who leave Gaza as part of his plan to take control of Gaza.
Trump stated that Jordan and Egypt have vast parcels of land where Palestinians could be settled, and noted that the US provides significant financial aid to these countries, an implicit threat similar to one he made the previous day. "I am 99% sure we can resolve this issue with Egypt," Trump said.
King Abdullah said that Arab states would provide the US with a response to Trump's plan but did not explicitly endorse or reject the president's desire to relocate Palestinians to Jordan. "Everyone's interests must be considered. I must stand behind my country's interests," the king said. He added that it was necessary to wait for Egypt's position before making a final decision on Trump's plan and confirmed that Arab states intended to deliver an official response to Washington.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Abdullah also announced that Jordan would take in 2,000 children from Gaza suffering from cancer. Trump welcomed the move, saying, "I didn't know about this. It's wonderful to hear."
Trump also addressed the ultimatum he issued the previous day to Hamas, saying he does not believe the terrorist organization will meet the deadline to release all hostages by noon on Saturday. "You never know what will happen," Trump said in the Oval Office, after having vowed the day before that "hell will break" if Hamas fails to comply.
Escalating threats
On Thursday, Trump escalated his warnings to Israel's two neighboring countries. When asked by reporters in the Oval Office whether he would halt US aid to Jordan and Egypt if they refused to cooperate with his plan to remove the Palestinian population from Gaza, he responded, "Yes, why not?" Trump has previously stated that the US provides billions to both countries and expects them to cooperate in return. "I think they will take them [Gazan refugees], and other countries will as well. They have good hearts," he said.
Jordan and Egypt have already expressed strong opposition to Trump's plan, but their reliance on Washington could make it difficult for them to stand firm. Jordan receives approximately $1.7 billion in direct US aid annually, while Egypt receives around $1.5 billion. The Hashemite Kingdom's dependence on Washington is not limited to direct financial assistance; it also includes security coordination and foreign investment, which stem from its longstanding alliance with the US and its Western-oriented policies since its founding. Additionally, US forces are stationed in Jordan, and according to The New York Times, the CIA has funneled financial support to Jordanian security services for years.
For instance, following what appeared to be the closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Jordan, tens of thousands of people lost their jobs. Non-governmental organizations warned of the "devastating impact" of the move on Jordan's stability. According to government data, USAID provided Jordan with $4.4 billion in aid between 2021 and 2024.
