Biden Hosts Jordanian King at the White House Today

U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Jordan's King Abdullah, a close ally of the United States, on Monday in the first of three direct meetings between the U.S. president and leaders from the Middle East. This will be the first meeting between the Jordanian king and the U.S. president in the Oval Office since Biden took office in January. King Abdullah will also attend a working breakfast with Vice President Kamala Harris at her residence on Tuesday, followed by a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department. King Abdullah is the first Arab leader to visit the White House since Biden took office, followed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who is scheduled to visit Washington on July 26. U.S. and Israeli officials are working to arrange a meeting soon between Biden and new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. A senior Biden administration official stated that discussions between the U.S. president and the Jordanian king are expected to include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in light of Bennett's recent ascent to power, succeeding Benjamin Netanyahu.