(Wall Street Journal)- Jordan’s King Abdullah II is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Monday and could mark the first Arab leader to meet with President Donald Trump, just days after he signed an executive order that suspended the U.S. refugee program and blocked people from Iraq, Syria and several other Muslim countries from entering the U.S.
Mr. Trump’s executive order, signed Friday night, is a version of a campaign promise he made beginning in 2015, but it still caught many off guard in Washington because its details weren’t widely shared, even among government agencies. When he signed the executive order at the Pentagon, Mr. Trump said it was meant to prevent “radical Islamic terrorists” from entering the U.S.
Many Democrats and humanitarian organizations denounced the order, saying it is inhumane to refugees and could end up stoking anti-American resentment among Muslims.
A formal visit between King Abdullah II and Mr. Trump has not been announced, and it is possible that King Abdullah II will come to Washington and not meet with Mr. Trump. But in an announcement from the Jordanian government, it said King Abdullah II would meet with members of Congress and U.S. administration officials, a reference that often means people in the White House.
Jordan and the U.S. are longtime allies, and U.S. leaders from both parties have counted on close ties with Jordan for years to help with an assortment of issues in the Middle East.
Mr. Trump is scheduled to speak with the leaders of Japan, Germany, Russia, France and Australia on Saturday. He is also scheduled to sign at least one executive action.
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