Donald Trump is set to face strong opposition from Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House today in their first meeting since the U.S. president suggested relocating Gaza's population to Jordan.
As a key U.S. ally, Jordan has long balanced its military and diplomatic ties with the West against strong domestic support for the Palestinian cause. That delicate balance, already strained by the Gaza war, is now at risk of breaking under Trump's proposed plans for Gaza’s future.
Trump has escalated his stance, insisting that Gazans be moved to Jordan and Egypt while making it clear they would have no right to return—an approach that would violate international law. On Monday, he even suggested withholding aid from Jordan and Egypt if they refused to accept Palestinian refugees.
However, some of the fiercest opposition to relocating Gazans to Jordan comes from those who already live there.
Around 45,000 people reside in Gaza Camp near Jerash in northern Jordan—one of several Palestinian refugee camps in the country. Narrow alleyways are lined with makeshift shopfronts covered in corrugated metal, while children ride donkeys through bustling market stalls.
Every family here traces its roots back to Gaza—Jabalia, Rafah, Beit Hanoun. Most fled after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, expecting to return home soon. Generations later, they are still waiting.
"Donald Trump is an arrogant narcissist," says 60-year-old Maher Azazi. "He has a medieval mindset—the mentality of a tradesman."
Maher left Jabalia as a toddler. Some of his relatives remain there, now searching through the rubble of their destroyed home for the bodies of 18 missing family members.
Despite the devastation, he insists most Gazans would never leave their homeland again. "They've learned from past generations," he says. "They’d rather jump into the sea than leave."
For many, past experiences have shown that seeking temporary refuge ultimately helps Israel’s far-right nationalists take Palestinian land.
"We’ve been through this before," says Yousef, who was born in Gaza Camp. "They told us it was temporary, that we’d return. The right to return is a red line."
Another man adds, "Our ancestors had no weapons to resist, but now we do. The younger generation understands what happened before, and it won’t happen again. Now, there is resistance."
Jordan, a small but strategically crucial nation, has absorbed multiple waves of refugees over the decades—from Iraqis fleeing war in the early 2000s to Syrians a decade later. King Abdullah has previously warned that the country is at "boiling point."
Many native Jordanians blame the influx of refugees for rising unemployment and poverty. At a food bank near a mosque in central Amman, volunteers distribute 1,000 meals daily to those in need.
Among them are Imad Abdallah and his friend Hassan, both day laborers who haven’t found work in months.
"Things were fine before," says Hassan. "Then the Iraq war made it worse. Then the Syria war made it worse. Now Gaza—it’s even worse. Any war near us makes things harder because we always take in refugees."
Imad is more direct. "Foreigners take our jobs," he says. "I haven’t worked in four months. No money. No food. If more Gazans come, we will starve."
But Jordan is also under immense pressure from the U.S., its key military ally. Trump has already frozen over $1.5 billion in U.S. aid, and many Jordanians are bracing for a showdown between their government and the American president.
Jawad Anani, a former Jordanian deputy prime minister, says King Abdullah will send a clear message to Trump:
"We consider any attempt to expel Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank a criminal act. But forcing them into Jordan would be a declaration of war."
Even if Gazans were offered temporary relocation as part of a broader Middle East deal, Anani says, trust is nonexistent.
"There is no confidence," he states. "As long as Netanyahu is involved, no promise means anything. Period."
Trump’s determination to push his plan for Gaza could force Jordan into a critical decision.
Last Friday, thousands protested in Amman against his proposal.
Jordan hosts U.S. military bases, millions of refugees, and plays a crucial role in Israel’s security, particularly in preventing arms smuggling into the West Bank.
Any threat to Jordan’s stability is a threat to its allies as well. And while Jordan has long been a pillar of regional stability, its greatest weapon—and defense—may now be the possibility of unrest.
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