Jordan’s King Abdullah II to visit the White House
Jordan’s King Abdullah II will visit the White House today to meet with President Joe Biden to discuss bilateral economic and security cooperation.
Washington is Amman’s largest source of financial assistance, receiving more than $1.5 billion annually from the US. Jordan is an important strategic US ally in the Middle East, both for counter-terrorism operations and US diplomacy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Abdullah’s visit follows a royal dispute and alleged coup attempt which saw the king’s half-brother, former crown prince Hamzah bin Hussein, placed under house arrest for plotting to “destabilise the country.” Biden reaffirmed U.S. support for the king shortly after the public squabble, which diminished Jordan’s image as a stalwart of regional stability.
Expect Abdullah to press for extending a five-year $6.4 billion general aid package set to expire in 2022, to which the US is likely to agree. Jordan’s economy suffered from COVID-19 lockdowns which, combined with the recent royal infighting, weakened the kingdom’s international standing. An aid extension would stabilize a key US ally, and affords Biden the opportunity to reset relations after they worsened under Trump, whose Middle East peace plan Abdullah opposed.
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