Watan-Just hours after Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States, he resumed his extortionist approach toward Saudi Arabia, demanding large sums of money from Riyadh in exchange for a potential visit.
In controversial remarks, Trump stated that his previous visit to Saudi Arabia during his first term occurred after the Kingdom agreed to purchase $450 billion worth of American products. He emphasized that the current inflation necessitates raising the figure to $500 billion as a condition for any future visit.
In addition to financial extortion, Trump resumed promoting his project known as the “Abraham Accords,” suggesting that Saudi Arabia might join these agreements soon. This puts Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a sensitive position, balancing between appeasing his American ally and maintaining internal stability in Saudi Arabia.
Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia with his family in 2017 marked a major turning point in the relationship between the two countries. That visit led to the strengthening of economic and entertainment projects that transformed the Kingdom’s identity, sparking widespread domestic and international debate.
Trump, who has often harshly criticized Saudi Arabia even while benefiting from its financial support, did not hesitate to describe his previous visit as a profitable business deal.
Today, with his return to the White House, it appears his approach toward Riyadh has not changed. Financial extortion, political pressure, and pushing for normalization with Israel are all open files awaiting a response from Saudi leaders.
Will Saudi Arabia accept Trump’s conditions? And how will it balance between the pressures of its American ally and domestic demands? These questions remain open as Trump’s policy continues to focus on achieving gains by any means necessary.
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