Trump meets with Jordan’s king amid tense talks about resettling Palestinians

President Donald Trump welcomed Jordan's King Abdullah II astatine the White House Tuesday, a sojourn that comes amid contentious discussions betwixt the U.S. and Arab nations astir relocating Palestinian refugees to Jordan and different neighboring Arab countries to rebuild Gaza. 

Trump unveiled plans connected Feb. 4 that the U.S. would question to "take over" the Gaza Strip successful a "long-term ownership position" to present stableness to the portion during a associated property league with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

But Trump’s connection prompted swift backlash from Arab countries including Jordan, and Egypt announced plans connected Sunday for an exigency Arab Summit to discuss "new and unsafe developments" regarding the resettling of Palestinians connected Feb. 27. 

Trump doubled down connected his plans though successful an interrogation that aired Monday with Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier, and said that helium expects Abdullah yet volition take to fto successful Palestinians. 

"I bash deliberation he’ll take, and I deliberation different countries volition instrumentality also," Trump told Baier. "They person bully hearts."

TRUMP NOT COMMITTING TO PUTTING US TROOPS ON THE GROUND IN GAZA, WHITE HOUSE SAYS

President Donald Trump welcomed Jordan's King Abdullah II, pictured here, astatine the White House Feb. 11, 2025.  (Li Rui/Xinhua via Getty Images)

But Trump besides issued a informing that withholding assistance to Jordan could happen, should Jordan garbage to instrumentality successful Palestinian refugees. The U.S. distributed astir $1.7 cardinal successful overseas assistance to Jordan successful fiscal twelvemonth 2023, according to the State Department. 

"Yeah, maybe, definite wherefore not," Trump said erstwhile asked. "If they don’t, I would conceivably withhold aid, yes."

Trump welcomed Netanyahu to the White House connected Feb. 4 and disclosed his plans to crook Gaza into the "riviera of the Middle East."

"We'll ain it and beryllium liable for dismantling each of the dangerous, unexploded bombs and different weapons connected the site," Trump told reporters. 

"Level the tract and get escaped of the destroyed buildings, level it out, make an economical improvement that volition proviso unlimited numbers of jobs and lodging for the radical of the area," Trump said. "Do a existent job. Do thing different. Just can't spell back. If you spell back, it's going to extremity up the aforesaid mode it has for 100 years."

He besides said "all" Palestinians would beryllium removed from Gaza nether his plan, though White House property caput Karoline Leavitt said the adjacent time their removal would beryllium "temporary" during the rebuilding process. 

Even so, Trump told Fox News connected Monday that Palestinians would not instrumentality to Gaza nether his plan. 

TRUMP SAYS US WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ GAZA STRIP, REBUILD IT TO STABLIZE MIDDLE EAST

Sen. John Thune, S.D., didn't look publically startled by President Donald Trump's connection for Gaza.  (Getty Images)

Lawmakers connected Capitol Hill shared mixed reactions to the plan. 

"I’m speechless, that’s insane," Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told Jewish Insider connected Feb. 4. 

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But Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., didn’t look fazed by the remarks. 

"I deliberation helium wants to bring a much peaceful, unafraid Middle East and enactment immoderate ideas retired there," Thune told reporters connected Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.