Trump Crushing on Saudi Crown Prince. But Why??
[guest post by Dana]
Despite the fact that American presidents usually visit close allies during their first major trip abroad, Trump, who has already offended any number of said allies, opted to go a different route on this trip. A route that raises serious concerns. Thus, while on his visit to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, he took time to express his adoration of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (MSB):
“He’s your greatest representative, greatest representative. And if I didn’t like him, I’d get out of here so fast. You know that, don’t you? He knows me well. I do — I like him a lot. I like him too much. That’s why we give so much, you know? Too much. I like you too much.”
Additionally:
“For the people of this room, the days of economic misery under the last administration are rapidly giving way to the greatest economy in the history of the world,” Trump said.
“Riyadh is becoming not just a seat of government but a major business, cultural and high-tech capital of the entire world,” Trump said.
“Mohammed, do you sleep at night? How do you sleep?” Trump said as the crowd applauded. “Critics doubted that it was possible, what you’ve done, but over the past eight years, Saudi Arabia has proved the critics totally wrong.”
“Oh, what I do for the crown prince,” Trump quipped. “The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important, really an important function, nevertheless, at the time. But now it’s their time to shine.”
. . .
“The United States is the hottest country, with the exception of your country,” he told Prince Mohammed. “I have to say right, I won’t. I’m not going to take that on. No, Mohammed, I’m not going to take that on. Wouldn’t that be a terrible thing if I made that full statement? But I will get to it. You’re hotter, at least as long as I’m up here. You’re hotter.”
I know. Cringe.
So why is Trump sucking up to MSB? Does he not know that it was MSB that ordered journalist and Saudi critic, James Khashoggi’s assassination when in Turkey? Oh wait, he does. And he defended him. Does he not know that the U.S. State Dept. has reported on Saudi Arabia’s abysmal human rights record:
Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings; enforced disappearance; torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; political prisoners or detainees; transnational repression against individuals in another country; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; punishment of family members for alleged offenses by a relative; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence or threats of violence against journalists, unjustified arrests or prosecutions of journalists, and censorship; serious restrictions on internet freedom; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, including overly restrictive laws on the organization. . . etc.
Perhaps the President just doesn’t care about such things, or perhaps there’s a simple reason for his uh, adoration of the Saudi leader:
The Trump family’s business ties to the Middle East have more than tripled since the president’s first term in office, a CNN tally of the deals has found, including a slew of new projects announced since he reclaimed the White House.
Amid the ongoing plans for luxury skyscrapers, golf courses and cryptocurrency deals in the region, Donald Trump is traveling to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week not only as US president, but also as the patriarch of a family whose business empire continues to expand in that part of the world.
Details:
Companies in the region have also boosted Trump’s crypto firm, World Liberty Financial. UAE-based DWF Labs announced in April the purchase of $25 million worth of the firm’s tokens. MGX, an Emirati-backed investment firm, agreed to use a cryptocurrency launched by the firm for a $2 billion investment in crypto exchange Binance, according to an announcement from World Liberty co-founder Zach Witkoff, whose father is Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. The chairman of MGX is the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi and UAE national security adviser.
Nah, I’m sure it’s nothing.
—Dana
Hello.
Dana (f5a833) — 5/13/2025 @ 2:36 pmIf that’s not senile babble, I don’t know what it is.
nk (bb1548) — 5/13/2025 @ 3:26 pmThe Bush family must be envious.
lloyd (c59c72) — 5/13/2025 @ 6:38 pmThere’s also the Trump Tower Jeddah real estate deal, and the fact that Trump is a business partner with the LIV Golf Tour, the outfit that’s trying to take over the PGA. And let’s not forget the $25 million a year stipend that his daughter and son-in-law for running a sovereign investment fund.
Paul Montagu (ef3687) — 5/13/2025 @ 7:32 pmAs deep throat said in watergate “Follow the money!” In 2026
asset (547ad3) — 5/13/2025 @ 9:48 pmThis is the same guy who said “some ppl say Epstein likes women even more than Trump. Some of them on the younger side.”
He’s weird and gross so he says weird gross stuff.
Time123 (a2c710) — 5/14/2025 @ 3:59 amI get it, you don’t like him….
Joe (584b3d) — 5/14/2025 @ 4:42 amDo you? Because I feel like when people say stuff like that, the implication is that I said what I said out of personal animus for For Trump.
As if I came up with my statement to express a feeling that was based on something else or nothing at all. When in reality, the fact I shared in my statement are why I dislike the guy. Or at least part of it.
It’s like when a judge rips a criminal defendant for being a horrible person after the evidence has been heard, and the jury has rendered a verdict. Some people wanna act like that shows the judge is biased. When in reality it shows that the judge has come to an informed opinion based on available and compelling evidence.
My broader point was that Trump’s weird and gross and says weird and gross stuff. He can’t obsess over every bizarre utterance.
Time123 (a2c710) — 5/14/2025 @ 5:56 amSorry Time123 was not specifically aimed at you. More of the general patterico vibe of anything he does is bad.
He was the best least bad choice. All he can do is delay what feels like the inevitable decline. Spending has not been reduced enough.
Joe (584b3d) — 5/14/2025 @ 6:52 amJoe, I can totally understand why somebody would see Trump as the least bad choice. Wasn’t the conclusion I came to, but I can respect where you’re at.
Time123 (6d8fbb) — 5/14/2025 @ 7:15 amThere’s another reason the Loser likes the Saudis: He’s fond of hereditary monarchies, which explains his “love” for North Korea’s Kim, and now the Saudis. It also explains why he got along better with QE II than with any elected UK leader.
Jim Miller (7994bd) — 5/14/2025 @ 7:34 amNot entirely off-topic:
Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of the removal of the Palestinian encampment at UC Irvine. The encampment had occupied a more or less fixed area in the Physical Sciences Quad for a month or so, and the University had tried to negotiate peaceful resolution to the situation. On May 15, the demonstrators, in observation of “Nakba Day” (the day the Arabs declared war on Israel in 1948), expanded their encampment and took over a lecture hall. The University then activated a contingency plan, calling for help from local police departments to clear the protesters and their encampment. (The building to the left of the police in the large photo at the top of the article is where my office is…)
I just received notice that there will be “planned activities” tomorrow, May 15, in the Physical Sciences quad where the encampment was, and that “various units including UCIPD have been involved in discussions and preparations for the events, and campus teams will be in the area to monitor”.
I’ve been kind of surprised that the Palestinian demonstrators have been so quiet this year (not just at UCI, but nationwide). Since they consider “Nakba Day” an important anniversary, it’s pretty likely that there could be protests at other universities tomorrow too.
Dave (979a82) — 5/14/2025 @ 6:14 pmTrump’s Tactical Burger Unit
Video at the link!
Dave (a7c0cc) — 5/15/2025 @ 4:33 amTrump to Arabs: Murder your own people, we don’t care
Dave (979a82) — 5/15/2025 @ 7:06 am