Hundreds of Jordanians sign open letter demanding withdrawal of US forces in rare challenge to govt

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that hundreds of Jordanian political, legal and other figures signed an open letter last week calling for the withdrawal of United States forces from Jordan in a rare public challenge to the government, which has long cracked down on free speech and dissent. In recent weeks, Iranian missiles and drones have increasingly targeted US military forces and installations in Jordan, including early Wednesday, Iranian officials said. The attacks have repeatedly set off sirens across the kingdom and pulled the country further into a war it wanted no part of.

But most Jordanians have remained silent. READ: US says two military personnel killed in Jordan People who signed the letter said they were driven by a sense of national responsibility and concern that the troop presence endangered Jordanian sovereignty. “Jordanians are coming to the same conclusion that others in the region also have drawn: Hosting US bases endangers the country's security!

(In my opinion, both the region and the US will be better off by having the region take responsibility for its own security and US troops coming home)” said Trita Parsi, Iranian-Swedish writer and political analyst. “We maintain that their presence exposes Jordan to security, political, and economic risks that serve no national interest and increases the likelihood of our country being dragged into a regional conflict to which it is not a party,” the letter said. Hundreds of Jordanian political, legal and other figures signed an open letter last week calling for the withdrawal of U.S.

forces from Jordan in a rare public challenge to the government, which has long cracked down on free speech and dissent. In recent weeks, Iranian missiles… — Mouin Rabbani (@MouinRabbani) July 29, 2026 A Jordanian government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment about either the open letter or allegations that free expression was being stifled. Jordan hosts some 4,000 American soldiers at its bases, and the country is a hub for US military operations in the Middle East.

After the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran in late February, Iran responded with retaliatory strikes against Israel and US allies in the region, including Jordan.