US President Donald Trump underscored on Wednesday his “very strong” relationship with the Saudi leadership.
Speaking from Doha, he said: “Our relationship now is very strong with Saudi Arabia. Nobody is going to be bothering that relationship.”
“Nobody will be able to break that relationship because of my relationship with the crown prince and the family. The relationship is really strong,” he added.
Trump concluded on Thursday a “historic” visit to the Middle East that he had kicked off in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
He met with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on Tuesday and they both oversaw the signing of numerous agreements between their countries.
They also took part in the Saudi-US Investment Forum during which Trump hailed the Crown Prince as “very wise”, expressing his admiration for him. “I really believe we like each other a lot,” he added.
He also praised the Crown Prince for his hard work in transforming Saudi Arabia into a global power, joking: “Do you sleep at night? How do you sleep?” Crown Prince Mohammed, who was seated across from him the front row, could be seen replying: “I try”.
Trump touted what he described as a “golden age” in the relationship between their countries.
Earlier on Tuesday, Crown Prince Mohammed and Trump signed an economic strategic partnership agreement and oversaw the signing of several agreements covering energy, defense and technology.
On Wednesday, they chaired the Gulf Cooperation Council-US Summit in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia was Trump’s first overseas visit since his reelection. He also chose the Kingdom as his first foreign visit during his first term in office.
Saudi political analyst Mubarak al-Ati told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s remarks underscore Saudi-US ties that date back 92 years.
They also underline the personal relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed, who managed to forge them from strength and mutual trust, he added.
Trump’s remarks stem from the faith in Saudi Arabia in various fields, he added.
So, the American administration is keen on preserving interests and benefits with the Kingdom, he went on to say.
