Jordan's King Abdullah II Blinks a Lot in Public, Leading Some to Wonder Why

During a recent press avail in the Oval Office, President Trump sat with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Trump suggested that he wanted America to take over the Gaza Strip. This proclamation was condemned by many, in part because it seemed to call for the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people who now live there.

Abdullah II and Rubio both seemed visibly uncomfortable as Donald Trump was speaking, and many also noticed that Abdullah II seemed to blink more than usual. As videos of this meeting have continued circulating online, many want to know why Abdullah II was doing so much blinking. Here's what we know.

We don't know exactly why King Abdullah II seems to blink so much, at least during his public appearances, but it's believed that he has some sort of neurological disorder or tic. Some believe that he has Tourette Syndrome, although others argue that the blinking is a sign of some other neurological issue.

Other than the blinking, he does not show any other signs of issues, and he delivers cogent remarks even as he experiences this tic.

For some, the tic was distracting as they listened to the king speak, but it's something that people have noticed for years, and there has never been any public health disclosure that explains it. It seems, then, the those around the king have determined that whatever the issue might be, it doesn't have any affect on his ability to perform his role and meet with other leaders.

While we don't know for sure, it seemed like Abdullah II did not know that Trump was going to suggest that Palestinians be displaced in their Oval Office meeting. Trump's suggestion was to "take" Gaza and send the Palestinians to Jordan and other neighboring countries, which would almost surely be a no-go for Jordan as well as for many of the other Middle Eastern countries that would have to be involved.

"We will be in Saudi Arabia to discuss how we can work with the president and with the United States. So I think let's wait until the Egyptians can come and present it to the president, and not get ahead of ourselves," Abdullah II said in response to Trump's comments. After the meeting was over, Jordan issued a further clarification reaffirming their opposition to the plan.

The statement "reiterated Jordan's steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is the unified Arab position. Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all."

Abdullah II's blinks may or may not have been a response to Trump's comments, but if they were, they were an understandable one. It's not every day that the sitting U.S. president casually suggests the ethnic cleansing of more than 1 million people so that he can use the land to build beachfront hotels.