On Tuesday, President Donald Trump welcomed King Abdullah II of Jordan to the White House, where he reiterated his controversial idea that Gaza could be cleared of its residents and transformed into a tourist destination under U.S. control. This ambitious proposal, however, is viewed by many as unrealistic, and it would necessitate that Jordan and other Arab nations accept significantly more refugees from Gaza—an option that Abdullah firmly opposes.
The two leaders met in the Oval Office, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During this meeting, Trump hinted that he would not condition U.S. aid to Jordan or Egypt on their cooperation in increasing the intake of Gaza refugees, stating, “I don’t have to threaten that. I do believe we’re above that.” This statement stands in contrast to earlier claims where he suggested he might withhold aid as leverage.
When pressed about Trump’s vision for a restructured Gaza, Abdullah refrained from making definitive commitments regarding the refugee situation but expressed Jordan’s willingness to admit “right away” up to 2,000 sick children from Gaza needing medical assistance. In his remarks at the start of the meeting, the king referred to Trump, claiming, “I finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace, and prosperity to all of us in the region.”
After their two-hour discussion, Abdullah proceeded to the U.S. Capitol to engage with a group of bipartisan lawmakers, asserting on social media that he had reiterated Jordan’s strong stance against the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. He emphasized that “rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all,” highlighting a position consistent with the stance of many Arab nations.
Despite this, Trump continued to propose the concept of U.S. oversight in Gaza, suggesting that it would not necessitate American financial investment. He spoke vaguely about managing the region “under U.S. authority” but did not clarify what that would entail. He mentioned plans for new hotels, office spaces, and housing developments in the transformed area, insisting, “They’re going to be in love with it,” while clarifying that he would not personally engage in its development.
Trump’s previous comments have included suggestions that the residents of Gaza could be temporarily or permanently moved, an idea that has met with widespread criticism from Arab leaders. Additionally, Trump reiterated his warning that a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could end if the militant group fails to release all hostages by a specific deadline. He remarked, “I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline, personally,” indicating skepticism over Hamas’s intentions.
The timing of the king’s visit is precarious, as tensions rise within the ceasefire negotiations, with Hamas claiming that Israel has violated the truce and announcing a halt to any further hostage releases. Throughout, Trump has pushed the narrative of transforming Gaza into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” albeit at the expense of Palestinians who would be pushed into neighboring areas without a guaranteed right of return.
His statements contradict earlier views where he suggested he might consider withholding funds from Jordan and Egypt, both critical U.S. allies and major recipients of foreign aid, if they did not comply with his refugee resettlement ideas. Currently, over 2 million Palestinians reside in Jordan, and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has firmly reiterated the nation’s disapproval of any strategy that advocates for the displacement of Gaza’s residents.
Concerns also loom about how allowing large numbers of additional refugees would affect the stability of both Jordan and Egypt, even on a temporary basis, in light of long-standing aspirations for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump had unveiled his thoughts on Palestinian resettlement and U.S. governance of Gaza during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, initially leaving the door open for U.S. military involvement for security purposes while also affirming no financial support would go towards Gaza’s reconstruction.
In follow-up discussions, both Rubio and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that Trump envisioned the relocation of Palestinians from Gaza as temporary and aimed at establishing an interim phase for recovery efforts. However, when questioned directly about whether Palestinians would have a right to return, Trump responded, “No, they wouldn’t,” solidifying the harsh reality of his proposals.
