RFK Jr. Criticizes King Abdullah: ‘They’ve Cut Us Off’
President Donald Trump praised the Jordanian king for his “beautiful gesture” in agreeing to accept 2,000 sick children from Gaza. However, leaders from various political backgrounds are now expressing concerns that Jordan is delaying its commitment.
TroibNews 
It’s uncommon in American politics for Donald Trump's West Wing, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to find common ground on an issue. Remarkably, they all share frustration towards the same individual.
As Jordan’s King Abdullah II returns to Washington on Monday, top aides from Trump’s team, Kennedy, and Pelosi are expressing their dissatisfaction with one of the Middle East’s longest-serving leaders.
The core issue revolves around Abdullah's commitment made in February, while seated next to Trump in the Oval Office, to accept 2,000 children from Gaza suffering from cancer and other serious health conditions.
According to multiple high-ranking officials from both political parties, Abdullah’s response has been slow, with Jordan admitting only a small number of sick children due to concerns that Israel may not allow them and their families to return to Gaza after receiving treatment.
“They took 44, and then they’ve cut us off,” Kennedy remarked over the weekend.
Pointing to Abdullah, a long-time advisor to U.S. presidents, Kennedy stated: “I would encourage him to put the welfare of these children first and put the politics aside.”
The health secretary recalled the king’s statements to Trump as being “really unconditional,” emphasizing the critical nature of the situation. “These kids are very, very fragile,” he added.
One West Wing official involved in discussions described Jordan’s hesitation to fulfill their commitment as “a sad commentary” and acknowledged that ongoing conflict complicates the situation for “obvious reasons.”
Pelosi, who has cultivated a friendship with Abdullah over the years, took action last week by engaging in a direct and candid conversation with Jordan’s ambassador to the U.S., Dina Kawar. Kawar conveyed to Pelosi that Abdullah's pledge hinged on Israel permitting those children who have completed treatment to return to Gaza and recommended that the former speaker communicate with the king, according to someone familiar with the discussion.
Pelosi has been closely following the evacuation of the children since former President Joe Biden's administration initiated the process. An advisor noted that Pelosi holds “the highest regard” for Abdullah, indicating that cooperation from other nations, including Israel, is essential for the children’s welfare.
A spokesperson from the Jordanian embassy refrained from commenting. However, the ambassador's message to Pelosi—that they cannot continue admitting children without guarantees of their return to Gaza—has also been conveyed to Trump aides.
With Israeli forces intensifying their operations in Gaza and obstructing humanitarian assistance, the political dynamics surrounding aid for seriously ill children have become increasingly complex for Arab nations.
The situation for the Gazan children—some described as “holding on by a thread,” according to Kennedy—has regrettably turned them into pawns in a larger political game.
This has exacerbated frustrations among American officials already concerned about the limited number of Gazan children Jordan has accepted and displeased by claims that the original commitment was conditional.
As Kennedy highlighted, Abdullah was clear when he made his announcement at the White House: “One of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children that are either cancer children or in a very ill state to Jordan as quickly as possible,” Abdullah stated on February 11.
Trump immediately sought to emphasize this pledge, seeking reporters' attention in the Oval Office to underscore the significance of the moment.
“I didn’t know that, what you just said, 2,000 children with cancer or other problems — and that’s really a beautiful gesture, that’s really good, and we appreciate it,” Trump said, displaying a sense of wonder.
The meeting between the two leaders is often recalled for Trump’s insistence that the U.S. should control Gaza after the war. However, for those Americans dedicated to facilitating the retrieval of sick children from the ravaged area, Abdullah’s promise held great importance, making the lack of follow-through all the more frustrating.
Rarely do initiatives transition seamlessly from the Biden administration to the Trump administration, but the international and inter-agency effort involving St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the World Health Organization to transport ill children from Gaza to hospitals worldwide has persisted.
Kennedy's efforts to support this initiative began even before he formally assumed the role of Health and Human Services Secretary, as he engaged in discussions with Ron Dermer, a senior advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about the sick children following the election.
“It was very opaque because there were so many different institutions involved,” Kennedy noted, adding that there were indications Egypt might accept the children, but then that option fell through.
The situation grew more complicated when Elon Musk restructured USAID, the humanitarian agency, at the beginning of Trump’s administration. Nevertheless, Kennedy maintained that this did not hinder their progress.
“I went to the president very early on, after the inauguration, and he said that he wanted to get involved and wanted to get the kids out,” the secretary recalled. Trump introduced Kennedy to developer Steve Witkoff, a Trump confidant also involved in this project while trying to establish peace agreements in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Kennedy stated he then contacted Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure that USAID personnel involved in this effort would not be dismissed.
Rubio is fully informed about Jordan’s commitment and the lack of advancements and is expected to meet with Abdullah in Washington alongside Witkoff.
Kennedy noted that, although he isn’t communicating with Pelosi directly, “a very beautiful part of this is we’re working together, Republicans and Democrats, to make this happen.”
With an eye on Abdullah's discussions with Trump officials, Kennedy reiterated that “President Trump is really committed” to helping evacuate the sick children.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
As Jordan’s King Abdullah II returns to Washington on Monday, top aides from Trump’s team, Kennedy, and Pelosi are expressing their dissatisfaction with one of the Middle East’s longest-serving leaders.
The core issue revolves around Abdullah's commitment made in February, while seated next to Trump in the Oval Office, to accept 2,000 children from Gaza suffering from cancer and other serious health conditions.
According to multiple high-ranking officials from both political parties, Abdullah’s response has been slow, with Jordan admitting only a small number of sick children due to concerns that Israel may not allow them and their families to return to Gaza after receiving treatment.
“They took 44, and then they’ve cut us off,” Kennedy remarked over the weekend.
Pointing to Abdullah, a long-time advisor to U.S. presidents, Kennedy stated: “I would encourage him to put the welfare of these children first and put the politics aside.”
The health secretary recalled the king’s statements to Trump as being “really unconditional,” emphasizing the critical nature of the situation. “These kids are very, very fragile,” he added.
One West Wing official involved in discussions described Jordan’s hesitation to fulfill their commitment as “a sad commentary” and acknowledged that ongoing conflict complicates the situation for “obvious reasons.”
Pelosi, who has cultivated a friendship with Abdullah over the years, took action last week by engaging in a direct and candid conversation with Jordan’s ambassador to the U.S., Dina Kawar. Kawar conveyed to Pelosi that Abdullah's pledge hinged on Israel permitting those children who have completed treatment to return to Gaza and recommended that the former speaker communicate with the king, according to someone familiar with the discussion.
Pelosi has been closely following the evacuation of the children since former President Joe Biden's administration initiated the process. An advisor noted that Pelosi holds “the highest regard” for Abdullah, indicating that cooperation from other nations, including Israel, is essential for the children’s welfare.
A spokesperson from the Jordanian embassy refrained from commenting. However, the ambassador's message to Pelosi—that they cannot continue admitting children without guarantees of their return to Gaza—has also been conveyed to Trump aides.
With Israeli forces intensifying their operations in Gaza and obstructing humanitarian assistance, the political dynamics surrounding aid for seriously ill children have become increasingly complex for Arab nations.
The situation for the Gazan children—some described as “holding on by a thread,” according to Kennedy—has regrettably turned them into pawns in a larger political game.
This has exacerbated frustrations among American officials already concerned about the limited number of Gazan children Jordan has accepted and displeased by claims that the original commitment was conditional.
As Kennedy highlighted, Abdullah was clear when he made his announcement at the White House: “One of the things that we can do right away is take 2,000 children that are either cancer children or in a very ill state to Jordan as quickly as possible,” Abdullah stated on February 11.
Trump immediately sought to emphasize this pledge, seeking reporters' attention in the Oval Office to underscore the significance of the moment.
“I didn’t know that, what you just said, 2,000 children with cancer or other problems — and that’s really a beautiful gesture, that’s really good, and we appreciate it,” Trump said, displaying a sense of wonder.
The meeting between the two leaders is often recalled for Trump’s insistence that the U.S. should control Gaza after the war. However, for those Americans dedicated to facilitating the retrieval of sick children from the ravaged area, Abdullah’s promise held great importance, making the lack of follow-through all the more frustrating.
Rarely do initiatives transition seamlessly from the Biden administration to the Trump administration, but the international and inter-agency effort involving St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the World Health Organization to transport ill children from Gaza to hospitals worldwide has persisted.
Kennedy's efforts to support this initiative began even before he formally assumed the role of Health and Human Services Secretary, as he engaged in discussions with Ron Dermer, a senior advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about the sick children following the election.
“It was very opaque because there were so many different institutions involved,” Kennedy noted, adding that there were indications Egypt might accept the children, but then that option fell through.
The situation grew more complicated when Elon Musk restructured USAID, the humanitarian agency, at the beginning of Trump’s administration. Nevertheless, Kennedy maintained that this did not hinder their progress.
“I went to the president very early on, after the inauguration, and he said that he wanted to get involved and wanted to get the kids out,” the secretary recalled. Trump introduced Kennedy to developer Steve Witkoff, a Trump confidant also involved in this project while trying to establish peace agreements in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Kennedy stated he then contacted Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure that USAID personnel involved in this effort would not be dismissed.
Rubio is fully informed about Jordan’s commitment and the lack of advancements and is expected to meet with Abdullah in Washington alongside Witkoff.
Kennedy noted that, although he isn’t communicating with Pelosi directly, “a very beautiful part of this is we’re working together, Republicans and Democrats, to make this happen.”
With an eye on Abdullah's discussions with Trump officials, Kennedy reiterated that “President Trump is really committed” to helping evacuate the sick children.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
