Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Trump reiterated his plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza, meeting opposition from Jordan's King Abdullah.
- King Abdullah expressed concerns about potential regional chaos and proposed a counterproposal with other Arab nations.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows 74% of Americans oppose Trump's plan, highlighting domestic and international challenges.
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump on Tuesday restated his plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza and permanently resettle its residents, as he met Jordan's King Abdullah amid widespread opposition to his plan among Washington's Arab allies, including Jordan.
Shortly after the king and his son arrived at the White House, reporters were ushered into the Oval Office where the U.S. president signaled he would not budge on his plan for the U.S. to take over Gaza, move its shell-shocked residents and transform the war-ravaged territory.
"We're going to take it. We're going to hold it, we're going to cherish it. We're going to get it going eventually, where a lot of jobs are going to be created for the people in the Middle East," Trump said of Gaza, saying his plan would "bring peace" to the region.
Trump has said he would consider withholding aid from Jordan if it refuses to resettle Palestinians.
King Abdullah has previously said he rejects any moves to annex land and displace Palestinians.
Asked on Tuesday about taking in Palestinians, he said he had to do what is best for his country, and said Arab nations would come to Washington with a counterproposal.
"The point is how to make this work in a way that is good for everybody," he said, without explicitly supporting or opposing Trump's plan.
He was expected to tell Trump such a move could spur radicalism, spread chaos in the region, jeopardize peace with Israel and threaten the country's very survival.
Three out of four Americans — 74% — in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted Feb. 7-9 said they opposed the idea of the U.S. taking control of Gaza and displacing the Palestinians who live there. The poll showed that Republicans were divided on the issue, with 55% opposed and 43% supportive.
Trump's proposal has introduced new complexity into a sensitive regional dynamic, including a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Hamas on Monday said it would stop releasing Israeli hostages from Gaza until further notice, saying Israel was violating the agreement to end strikes that have pummeled Gaza. Trump later proposed canceling the ceasefire if Hamas doesn't release all remaining hostages it took on Oct. 7, 2023, by Saturday.
Trump said on Tuesday that "all bets are off" if Hamas does not meet the deadline, adding that he does not think the Palestinian militant group will do so.
Amman depends on U.S. aid
Sandwiched between Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel and the occupied West Bank, Jordan is already home to more than 2 million Palestinian refugees in its population of 11 million, their status and number long providing a source of anxiety for the country's leadership.
Amman, which depends heavily on Washington for military and economic assistance, is also reeling from Trump's 90-day aid pause. Israel and Egypt have been granted waivers, but the $1.45 billion Jordan gets each year remains frozen pending a Trump administration review of all foreign aid.
King Abdullah "is in a very, very vulnerable position where the U.S. has a lot of leverage," said Ghaith Al-Omari, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank.
But U.S. assistance to Amman "is not charity," Al-Omari said, explaining that Jordan hosts U.S. troops and air assets, is an important intelligence-sharing partner for Washington, and its peace treaty with Israel, signed in 1994, is key to regional stability.
"The king would be hoping that these would be a counter to the leverage that the president has," Al-Omari said.
Contributing: Trevor Hunnicutt
