- Trump spoke to Mohammed bin Salman
- They discussed security issues, economic cooperation
- Saudi Crown Prince is to invest in US ~$600B
- Trump plans to increase this to $1T
Trump’s first official call after the inauguration was with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They discussed many topics regarding the Middle East, such as security issues, economic cooperation, and investment in the US.
Mohammed bin Salman intends to invest $600B in the US, while Trump plans to increase to $1T. Trump also plans to ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to bring down the cost of oil to influence an end to the war in Ukraine.
More About the Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Call
If you think back to Donald Trump’s previous presidency, he maintained good relations in Saudi Arabia and spoke well of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman even when some linked him to the murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Trump continued this tradition in his second presidential term and even made this the first official call after inauguration, instead of the UK. Trump told journalists in the Oval Office:
“The first foreign trip typically has been with the UK. but … I did it with Saudi Arabia last time because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of our products. If Saudi Arabia wanted to buy another $450 billion or $500 — we’ll up it for all the inflation — I think I’d probably go.”
During this call, they discussed many issues, including:
- The situation in the Middle East and security issues in the region
- Economic potential for cooperation in the region and beyond
- Global oil prices and investments between Saudi Arabia and USA
Regarding investment, Saudi Arabia had intended to give the US at least $600 billion, but Donald Trump is going to raise that to $1T. As he said:
“I’ll be asking the crown prince, who’s a fantastic guy, to round it out to around $1 trillion. I think they’ll do that because we’ve been very good to them.”
Trump also plans to use oil prices as one of the leverage points in dealing with the Russia-Ukraine war and to ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to bring down the cost of oil:
“If the price came down the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately.”
It may also be related to one of the attempts to address the challenges in competition with China, the growing demand for computing because of the strategic importance of blockchain and AI developments, and the consequent need for good terms to buy fuel for the stable operation of the energy sector.
Conclusion
Donald Trump’s style has been evident since the first days after his inauguration, and he has taken drastic and direct steps to address the problems he has outlined. However, any decisions also have a long-term effect, just as a separate effect is the sum of them.
It goes without saying that Donald Trump’s style likely will remain highly debatable, probably throughout his term, for many people. Let’s keep a close eye on his future decisions and their consequences. Be aware and stay tuned.
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