Podcast Summary

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Roberto Mazza
Guest: Aaron Magid, author of The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan (Universal Publishers, 2025)
Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a deep-dive interview with journalist and author Aaron Magid about his new book, The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan. The conversation explores the making of the first comprehensive biography of Jordan's current monarch, the unique American and Western influences on King Abdullah II, his defining political strategies, regional relationships, domestic policies, and his mixed legacy after a quarter-century in power. The episode offers rare insights into Abdullah's personal history, his balancing act between East and West, and the stability and challenges facing the Hashemite monarchy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Motivation for the Book

• Gap in the Literature: Magid noticed no comprehensive biography existed for King Abdullah II despite his over 20-year reign ([02:24]).

  “In 2020, 2021, when I started working on the book, I noticed that King Abdullah had been in power for over 20 years, but there hadn't been a single comprehensive biography written about him.” — Aaron Magid ([02:46])

• Research Approach: Over 100 interviews with Jordanian officials, activists, U.S. military officers, and former classmates; relied on U.S./UK archives and WikiLeaks ([04:00]).
• Challenges: Lack of access to Jordanian government archives; sensitivities around writing about a sitting monarch; learned to frame his inquiries around "Jordanian politics" rather than the King to get better responses ([05:39]).

2. Abdullah’s "American" Identity

• Personal Ties: Educated in Massachusetts, trained with the U.S. military, fluent English speaker—"When he became king in 1999, he actually spoke better English than Arabic" ([07:35]).
• Lifelong Friendships: Maintained ties with U.S. classmates, and modeled King's Academy in Jordan after his U.S. prep school ([09:54]).
• Political Impact: These experiences forged uniquely strong personal and political connections to the U.S., distinguishing him from his father, King Hussein ([07:35]).

3. The U.S.-Jordan Alliance: Depths and Limits

• Consistent Ally: Jordan became indispensable to the U.S. military and intelligence efforts in the region—hosting U.S. military operations, supporting anti-ISIS coalitions, enabling Israel's security ([11:29], [12:46]).
• Trade-offs: While this alliance brought billions in aid and stability, it also fostered resentment among many Jordanians, especially over the peace treaty with Israel and U.S. Middle East policy ([12:47]).

4. Regional Diplomacy: Assad, Iran, Israel, and the "Shia Crescent"

• Syria: Initially warm ties with Bashar Assad (including anecdotes like playing Super Mario Bros to bond), but relations soured after the Syrian civil war and Jordan’s support for the opposition ([14:22]).
• Iran: Relations with Iran have been cool—highlighted by Abdullah's warning about the "Shia Crescent" and security tensions ([14:22]).
• Israel & Palestinian Issue: Jordan balances criticism of Israeli actions (especially in Gaza) with unbroken security and diplomatic cooperation ([17:48]):

  “King Abdullah actually recently called Israel's action genocide. ... But at the same time, ... they've maintained the security cooperation that is critical for the Israeli military.” — Aaron Magid ([18:21])

5. Counterterrorism as Central to Abdullah’s Rule

• “An Island of Stability”: Jordan avoided the extreme violence seen in neighboring states due to strong intelligence services and anti-terror operations ([20:51]).
• Legacy: Counterterrorism defined the King’s foreign and domestic policy, ensuring ongoing U.S. backing ([21:56]).

6. Domestic Politics and the Limits of Reform

• Pattern of Half-Measures: A recurring cycle of royal committees promising political liberalization (2002, 2005, 2011/Arab Spring, 2021) but with little concrete change ([23:37]).
• Retention of Power: Parliament remains weak; genuine power lies in the king and security services. Democratic reforms often reversed after token gestures:

  “Listening to the will of the people, respecting democratic norms is really not what he's focused on.” — Aaron Magid ([24:50])

7. The 2021 Sedition Affair & Regime Stability

• Prince Hamza Incident: Alleged coup plot by Abdullah’s half-brother revealed deep internal tensions but ultimately failed due to lack of support from security forces ([25:53]).
• Current Risks: In the short-term, the monarchy is stable due to strong security ties and international support, but long-term risks center on chronic unemployment and youth disenfranchisement ([28:54]).

8. Comparison with King Hussein

• Media Environment: Abdullah faces far more public scrutiny (satellite TV, leaks) than his father ([32:57]).
• Popularity Gap: Hussein was beloved for his cultural affinity and nationalist stance; Abdullah is seen as less connected, less fluent in Arabic, and more Westernized—further hurt by economic woes ([32:57]):

  “King Abdullah … definitely does not match the popularity levels of his father, whether because of economic reasons or just because of cultural and identity politics.” — Aaron Magid ([36:59])

9. The Role of Queen Rania

• Progressive Advocacy: Early push for women’s rights and reforms drew backlash from conservative elements; withdrew from domestic activist role post-Arab Spring ([37:38]).
• Palestine Advocacy: Recently, Rania has been more active in international advocacy on Gaza and Palestinian rights ([37:38]).

10. Unique Personal Anecdotes

• Western Influences: Played cameo in Star Trek, quotes Clint Eastwood to Congress, disguised himself to inspect government offices ([41:00]).
• Notable Story: Tried to fly to the U.S. on 9/11 to show Arab solidarity; had to be dissuaded by Queen Rania and the U.S. ambassador ([41:00]).

  “This is actually the most important time for me to come, because you need to hear that an Arab leader rejects terrorism, rejects extremism, and this will be appreciated by the American public.” — King Abdullah, per Magid ([41:00])

11. Abdullah’s Mixed Legacy & the Monarchy’s Future

• Successes: Security, stability, international alliances ([44:35]).
• Failures: Economic mismanagement, widespread youth unemployment, hollow political reforms ([44:35]).
• Monarchy’s Prospects: Short-term stability sustained by foreign (U.S., Gulf, Israeli) support. Long-term, depends on solving economic and demographic challenges (including a population increasingly of Palestinian descent and high youth unemployment) ([44:35]).

12. The British Connection

• Surprising British Ties: Not only American-influenced—Abdullah also served in the British military and attended Oxford. His bi-national Western background is rare for an Arab leader ([49:16]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Framing Interviews in Jordan:

  “In the beginning, I used to say, 'I'm writing a book about King Abdullah.' ... So then, as I continued my research, I told individuals I'm writing a book about Jordanian politics, which is also true. ... Since if you criticize King Abdullah, that is still a punishable offense in the country and you could end up in jail.” — Aaron Magid ([05:58])

• On the Book’s Title:

  “I don't mean it as some people could say it is a praise ... and I don't mean it as criticism in the sense that he's being run by American foreign policy and he's just a vassal state. I'm just pointing out as a fact: there's no other Arab leader that has nearly as excellent ... ties with the United States throughout his life as King Abdullah.” — Aaron Magid ([41:00])

• On Economic Despair:

  “If he were to face multiple elections, I don't think he would continue to win if it were really free and fair, just because he's done such a terrible job managing the economy. ... among the youth, it's nearly 50%.” — Aaron Magid ([44:35])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |------------|------------------------------------------------| | 02:24 | Why Magid wrote the book, his methodology | | 05:39 | Research challenges, censorship in Jordan | | 07:35 | Abdullah's American upbringing impacts | | 11:29 | Abdullah’s strategic alliance with U.S. | | 14:22 | Relations with Syria, Iran; ‘Super Mario’ anecdote | | 17:48 | The tightrope on the Palestinian issue | | 20:51 | Counterterrorism legacy, ISIS, hotel bombings | | 23:37 | Domestic reforms and political stagnation | | 25:53 | The Prince Hamza affair and regime stability | | 28:54 | Threats to the monarchy: short-term vs. long-term | | 32:57 | Hussein vs. Abdullah: differing legacies | | 37:38 | Queen Rania’s role—activism and image shifts | | 41:00 | Personal anecdotes: Star Trek, Unforgiven, 9/11| | 44:35 | Assessing Abdullah’s mixed legacy | | 49:16 | Unique British connections |

Final Reflections

The episode provides a rare, multidimensional portrait of King Abdullah II—delving into how his Westernized background shaped him, how he’s navigated the tumults of Middle East politics, and the paradoxes at the core of his reign: a “most American” king reliant on Western support, leading a strategically vital but fragile state whose stability rests on external alliances and persistent (often unfulfilled) promises of reform. The discussion draws on original interviews, colorful anecdotes, and trenchant analysis—making this essential listening for anyone with an interest in Jordan, modern monarchies, or Middle Eastern geopolitics.