Where Is King Abdullah?
Facing regional turmoil and domestic criticism, Jordan’s ruler is spending more time overseas and less time talking to the press.
Since February, Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at Jordan, leading to at least three fatalities, including three U.S. soldiers killed on July 17 at Azraq's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. King Abdullah II did not give a speech or hold a press conference about the killings. Amid debates over Jordan's security partnership with Washington, the king has not commented on the attack or defended his policies.
Instead, Abdullah left Jordan for a week in July to visit the UK and is currently touring China. This behavior contrasts with his high-profile governing strategy since he came to power in 1999. Experts suggest that the king might have decided to remain silent to maintain strong ties with Iran, an unpopular ally. Many Jordanians are critical of Abdullah's decision to host thousands of U.S. troops, with former minister Amjad al-Majali leading calls for their expulsion.
However, the potential risks of doing so, such as angering U.S. President Donald Trump, likely deterred Abdullah. Abdullah's evasiveness is not new; even before the Iran attack, he banned the Muslim Brotherhood and did not address the 2025 crackdown on the organization. In 1999, Abdullah expelled senior Hamas operatives and publicly defended his decision, but he has avoided explaining the 2025 actions.
In contrast to his early reign, Abdullah now gives only one press interview per year and has reduced his media appearances significantly, even compared to 2002.
Written by urgent.news from Foreign Policy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
