President Donald Trump hosted King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House. Prior to the meeting, the two leaders sat in the Oval Office in front of cameras. During his White House visit, King Abdullah expressed his support for Trump in the region for peace, stating, “We have to wait to see Egypt’s plan regarding the matter.” Trump noted that they will take control of Gaza and retain it.

Before meeting King Abdullah II at the White House, President Trump evaluated Gaza with the press in the Oval Office. Reminding everyone about the plan to relocate the Palestinians in Gaza to neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan, Trump emphasized that Gaza is not a livable area and needs to be rebuilt. “We will take over Gaza and keep it in our control,” Trump said. Discussing whether the U.S. will purchase Gaza, Trump stated, “There is nothing to buy there. We will take over and keep it. Eventually, we will implement this project which will create job opportunities for many people in the Middle East. This could be a gem.” Trump replied that Gaza will be under the authority of the United States when questioned about how the U.S. will retain Gaza. Trump argued that by “managing” Gaza, the United States could bring stability to the Middle East for the first time in a long time. He commented, “The Palestinians or the people living in Gaza right now will live in a nice and secure place elsewhere.”

Trump expressed that the Palestinians would be taken to some extent from Egypt and Jordan and placed in these areas, saying, “The Palestinians do not want to be in Gaza, but they have no other options.” Trump also outlined his plan to construct hotels, office buildings, residential units, and other amenities once Gaza is taken over and built. When asked about any “plan” regarding the occupied West Bank, Trump stated that their focus is only on Gaza and there is no situation regarding the West Bank. Meanwhile, King Abdullah of Jordan used cautious statements when speaking about Trump’s Gaza comments, refraining from making explicit evaluations.

King Abdullah mentioned that Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, would discuss how a plan beneficial to everyone regarding the Palestinians can be implemented. “We need to wait for the views of the Egyptians,” King Abdullah stated. He further added, “We need to keep in mind that Egypt and Arab countries have a plan. We are invited by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for discussions in Riyadh. The real issue is how this can be done to benefit everyone.” King Abdullah expressed their desire to conclude this process in favor of the United States, Jordan, and other regional countries.