President of the United State Donald Trump in a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah after threatening to withhold aid from Jordan and Egypt meet with disappointment after Jordan refused his proposal.

The meeting took place at the White House on Tuesday where King Abdullah had intoned that Jordan’s “steadfast position [is] against the displacement of Palestinians” and the idea a fundamental breach of international law.

Earlier this week, Trump suggested he could withhold aid to Jordan and Egypt unless they agreed to take in the two million Palestinians from Gaza and move its population to other countries in the region including Jordan

However Jordan which is already a home to Palestinians rejected the proposal, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Trump signaled he would not shift on his idea.

“We’re going to take it. We’re going to hold it. We’re going to cherish it,” he said of Gaza.

Trump claimed that “a lot of jobs” would be created across the region if a US takeover of the devastated territory were to happen.

“I think it could be a diamond,” he said, adding that he now believes the US is “above” having to threaten other countries to participate.

King Abdullah sat quietly next to Trump as the president repeated a proposal that would upend decades of established US policy and could amount to a breach of international law, which prohibits the forcible transfer of populations.

On the possibility of taking in additional Palestinians, King Abdullah said a solution that is “best for everybody” would be necessary. He said Jordan would take in 2,000 unwell Palestinian children.

Trump, however, appeared unmoved and reiterated his stance that he expects Jordan and Egypt to play a part in housing resettled Palestinians.

“I believe we’ll have a parcel of land in Jordan. I believe we’ll have a parcel of land in Egypt,” Trump said. “We may have someplace else, but I think when we finish our talks, we’ll have a place where they’re going to live very happily and very safely.”

Egypt has roundly rejected Trump’s idea to remove Palestinians from Gaza. Its foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday that the country intended to put forward a plan with “a comprehensive vision for the reconstruction of Gaza in a manner that guarantees the Palestinian people’s continued presence on their land, in alignment with their legitimate legal rights”.

The statement said Egypt had an “aspiration” to work with the Trump administration on its plan, but it stressed that any foreign intervention should “avoid jeopardising the gains of peace.

King Abdullah stressed that the Middle East was largely aligned with this position following his White House meeting. He wrote on X that his conversation with Trump was “constructive”, but said that his country remained concerned with Trump’s proposal.

“I reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank,” he said. “This is the unified Arab position.”

“Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all,” he added.

Jordan is already home to millions of people descended from Palestinian refugees who were forced from the land that became Israel in 1948, alongside those whose roots lie firmly east of the River Jordan.

The country has also absorbed waves of refugees from Syria, and is heavily reliant on US economic and military assistance, BBC reported.

The UN has warned that any forced displacement of civilians from occupied territory is strictly prohibited under international law and “tantamount to ethnic cleansing”.

“We’re moving them to a beautiful location where they can have new homes, where they can live safely, where they can have doctors and medical and all of those things,” Trump declared.

King Abdullah said during the meeting that the matter would be discussed and both sides should “wait until the Egyptians” can present their ideas.

Trump has repeatedly doubled down on his plan for Gaza, saying he is “committed to buying and owning” it.

In an interview with Fox News broadcast earlier this week, Trump said Gaza’s two million residents would be resettled and have no right to return.

“They wouldn’t, because they have much better housing,” he said. “I’m talking about building a permanent place for them.”