Litmus test

WASHINGTON (AP) — King Abdullah II of Jordan's visit to Washington this week is testing President Donald Trump's ability to maintain key Arab alliances while cracking down on immigration from some Muslim countries and possibly moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The next few days could provide an indication if Trump is willing to compromise. Abdullah, a close U.S. ally, held meetings Monday with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Vice President Mike Pence. Trump and the king were to come face-to-face Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast, the White House said. The king also planned to meet with U.S. lawmakers this week. Abdullah's trip comes as the Trump administration is embroiled in its first major Mideast controversy, sparked by Trump's executive order temporarily halting all refugee admissions and suspending entry to the U.S. for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. Although Jordan isn't among the seven, even U.S. friends in the region fear Trump's move could embolden Mideast extremists and contribute to a perception Washington is at war with Islam — which Trump's administration insists is not the case. Trump's embassy decision looms even larger for Jordan. The kingdom, fighting as part of U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group, is watching closely to see if Trump fulfills a campaign pledge to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Doing so could trigger widespread protests among Jordan's massive Palestinian population, potentially jeopardizing Abdullah's hold on power. "The U.S. relationship is central to the internal stability of the kingdom," said Robert Satloff, who runs the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "This is really part and parcel of the national security fiber of the kingdom, and building this new relationship is really important to the king." This month, Jordan warned in unusually brusque terms that moving the embassy would cross a "red line" and could entail "catastrophic" consequences. Information Minister Mohammed Momani said it would be a "gift to extremists," threatening U.S. ties with Mideast allies. The embassy was a prime topic of discussion in Abdullah's meeting with Pence, officials said. The White House said they discussed Abdullah's "views on potential changes" and how to make progress on Israeli-Palestinian peace. The Jordanian Embassy in Washington said the U.S. "committed to working closely with Jordan" on issues related to the conflict.