A new front has opened – are they becoming a key target? The consequences could be enormous

Jordan between politics and the economy

The United States is Jordan’s largest single foreign partner. Under a seven-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022, Washington committed to providing Jordan with $1.45 billion in annual economic and military assistance. In 2025, the U.S. Congress increased that amount to $1.65 billion, which is three times more than in 2010.

In addition, a Defense Cooperation Agreement signed in January 2021 gives U.S. forces formal access to Jordanian military facilities. According to a recent report, around 4,000 U.S. troops are currently deployed in Jordan, more than in previous years.

However, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi claimed in March that there are no foreign military bases in the country. Kelly Petillo, Middle East and North Africa program manager at the European Council on Foreign Relations, believes that one reason for downplaying the significance of the U.S. military presence is strong public opposition to the United States among parts of the population.

"Despite Jordan’s efforts to remain neutral in this war, existing alliances, such as the one with the United States, not only affect the country’s already fragile security situation but also fuel public dissatisfaction," she told DW.

Safadi estimates that Jordan, like its Gulf allies, is beginning to question whether its alliance with the United States contributes to the country’s stability or is, in fact, a source of additional instability.

A 2026 survey by the Arab Barometer organization showed that only 12 percent of Jordanians hold a positive view of U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.

Jordan–Israel relations

"The second risk for Amman is that Iranian attacks could create the perception that Jordan is on the same side as Israel," warns Kelly Petillo.

"Such a perception could further increase public dissatisfaction and trigger new protests, similar to those already seen during the Gaza war, when demonstrators called for the cancellation of the 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel."

Relations between Israel and Jordan have become increasingly tense in recent years. In November 2023, the two countries recalled their ambassadors after Jordan condemned Israeli military operations in the early days of the Gaza war, which began following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and several other countries.

Jordan is among the most vocal supporters of a two-state solution, which envisions the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

The Palestinian issue is particularly important for Jordan because more than half of the population, including Queen Rania, has Palestinian origins. According to data from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), around 2.4 million Palestinian refugees live in Jordan.

However, Jordan has consistently rejected the possibility of a new influx of Palestinians into its territory, particularly because of the high costs of providing assistance to them and the uncertainty over their potential return.

"Jordan is already facing a significant reduction in USAID funding, as well as the withdrawal of U.S. support for UNRWA," Petillo says. All of this, she notes, is happening at a time when the country is still struggling with high public debt and unemployment.