Why Trump’s plans are an 'existential threat' for Jordan

During his quarter-of-a-century rule of Jordan, King Abdullah had few working visits that were more intense than this week's trip to Washington.

Sitting nervously next to Donald Trump on Tuesday, the monarch mostly watched on in silence as reporters shouted questions about the president's plan to "take over" Gaza or what has been called an "ethnic-cleansing" plan by human rights bodies, political leaders and critics worldwide.

Trump has insisted for several weeks that Jordan, as well as Egypt, will take expelled Palestinians as part of his plan to "own Gaza". 

While Abdullah didn't give away much in the presence of an erratic president, his position is well documented. It's a non-starter. 

“A large-scale displacement of Gazans to Jordan is going to be the death knell for the Hashemite monarchy in Jordan,” Andreas Krieg, assistant professor at King's College in London's defence studies department, told Middle East Eye.

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