SAUDI KING WILL NOT LAST IN POWER WITHOUT U.S. – TRUMP BRAGS

October 3, 2018

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Joseph Omoniyi
U.S. President, Donald Trump has again made an undiplomatic statement about close ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, saying, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman would not last in power “for two weeks” without the backing of the U.S. military.
According to Saudi state news agency SPA, the U.S. President said,“We protect Saudi Arabia. Would you say they’re rich. And I love the King, King Salman. But I said ‘King, we’re protecting you, you might not be there for two weeks without us, you have to pay for your military,’” Trump said to cheers at a rally in Southaven, Mississippi.
Despite the harsh words, the Trump administration has had a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, which it views as a bulwark against Iran’s ambitions in the region.
Trump who made Saudi Arabia his first stop on his maiden international trip as president last year, called King Salman on Saturday and discussed efforts being made to maintain supplies to ensure oil market stability and global economic growth.
Saudi Arabia is the world’s top oil exporter and the de facto leader of OPEC, which has been criticized by Trump for high oil prices.