Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
President Trump hosted King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House on Tuesday. During this visit, Trump renewed his suggestion that Gaza should be emptied and control given to the U.S. for redevelopment. Trump’s plans to redevelop Gaza for tourism purposes hinge on other nations in the region agreeing to accept more refugees. Trump met King Abdullah II in the Oval Office, where Trump suggested that he wouldn’t withhold U.S. aid to Jordan, Egypt, and other nations in the region if they did not agree to accept more refugees from Gaza. Trump stated, “I don’t have to threaten that. I do believe we’re above that.” This contradicted his previous suggestion that holding back aid was a possibility.
Abdullah was asked about Trump’s ambitious plans to tear down Gaza and the Middle East, but he did not give any substantial feedback on how he felt about Trump’s proposal. However, he did state that roughly 2,000 children with cancer and other health conditions will be accepted in Jordan. Trump stated that he did not know about the commitment, which he described as “a beautiful gesture.”
