Trump’s policies could jostle Jordan's position in Mideast
While Jordan's strategic relationship with the United States will likely remain strong under surprise presidential victor Donald Trump, the unpredictable leader's positions on the Muslim Brotherhood, Jerusalem and the West Bank settlements are cause for concern.
Like most countries, Jordan had been preparing for a Hillary Clinton presidency, which was largely expected to be a continuation of President Barack Obama’s policies in a crisis-ridden Middle East. The former US secretary of state had strong working relations with regional leaders including King Abdullah. For the Jordanian government, a Clinton victory would have meant that strong bilateral relations, especially in security and military fields, would continue.
There had been doubts and concerns when the Democratic candidate told an Iowa audience on Oct. 7, 2015, that a final peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians is unlikely until both sides “know what happens in Syria” and also depends on whether Jordan remains stable. That statement elicited angry reactions from local commentators, while officials chose to ignore it.
But Donald Trump’s historic upset in the Nov. 8 elections took Jordanians off guard. Abdullah sent the president-elect a congratulatory cable on Nov. 9, but did not call him until Nov. 14. A terse statement from the royal palace said that the king had expressed his wish to work jointly with the new American leader on boosting US-Jordanian strategic relations. There was no mention of Trump’s response.
Since he took over in 1999, Abdullah has been able to strengthen Jordan's strategic relations with Washington. He dealt closely with two US presidents, George W. Bush and Obama, during turbulent times for a post-9/11 America and the Middle East following the US invasion of Iraq. The king is a frequent visitor to the White House and Capitol Hill and enjoys good working relations with officials from both parties. His communication skills and pro-Western policies have won him valuable bipartisan support for Jordan in both the economic and the military fields. In March 2007, he addressed a joint session of Congress pleading for a just resolution to the plight of Palestinians. He has worked closely with Obama to advance the peace process, train moderate Syrian rebels and confront terrorism through a US-led coalition combating the threat of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
