Some Jordanians Demand that American Troops Leave the Kingdom

What the report says

The New York Times World reports that a public challenge to the presence of American troops in Jordan has emerged, with hundreds of political, legal and other figures signing an open letter. According to the report’s available summary, the signatories argued that Jordan’s tight security partnership with the United States could endanger the kingdom, reflecting a rare public demand that U.S. forces leave the country.

The limited publicly available text does not identify the organizers, list specific demands beyond opposition to the troop presence, or describe any response from Jordanian or American officials. It also does not specify when the letter was released, where it was delivered, or whether it has prompted any formal government action.

The development matters because Jordan is one of Washington’s closest Arab partners and has long cooperated with the United States on security, intelligence and regional military operations. U.S. forces have been present in Jordan in connection with broader Middle East deployments, and the alliance has often been framed by both governments as important to stability in a volatile neighborhood bordering Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

As background, public criticism of sensitive security arrangements can carry political weight in Jordan, where the government balances its Western partnerships with strong domestic concern over regional conflicts and sovereignty. Based on the evidence available, the Times report highlights growing unease among some Jordanians over whether the U.S. military relationship protects the kingdom or exposes it to greater risk.