Latest news with #Saudi-US
Leaders
a day ago
- Business
- Leaders
Saudi FM, US State Secretary Discuss Latest Developments
The Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Monday received a phone call from the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. During the call, both officials reviewed the relations and strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US. They also discussed the latest regional and international developments and topics of mutual interest. The discussions between the Saudi and US top diplomats focused on Ukraine and Russia talks, stabilization in Syria, and the situation in Gaza, the US State Department said in a statement. Moreover, Rubio expressed gratitude to Prince Faisal for Saudi Arabia's hospitality during the US President Donald Trump's visit to the Kingdom. Trump visited Saudi Arabia on May 13, 2025, in his first foreign trip during his second term as a president. This landmark visit underscored the depth of relations between the two countries, which date back to more than eighty years ago. It also reaffirmed the Kingdom's growing position as a strategic player in regional and international dynamics. The visit was marked by warm hospitality and saw the signing of multiple agreements that boost Saudi-US cooperation across various fields, including economy, defense and technology. Furthermore, Trump's first phone call to a foreign leader after assuming office was with the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. While in Saudi Arabia, the US President praised the leadership of the Saudi Crown Prince, describing him as an 'incredible man' that has turned Riyadh into a major business, cultural and high-tech capital of the entire world. Short link : Post Views: 85
Leaders
24-05-2025
- Business
- Leaders
INTERVIEW-Trump Visit Underscores Riyadh's Rise as Proactive Regional Order Architect: Salman Al-Ansari
On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, all eyes turned to Saudi Arabia as the US President, Donald Trump, landed in Riyadh, in a historic visit that underscored the Kingdom's growing status as a strategic political and economic player. The visit reflected the depth of Saudi-US relations, which date back to more than 8 decades and have evolved over the years into a firm partnership across various sectors, including trade, defense, energy, education, technology and tourism. Trump chose the Kingdom to be his first foreign destination in his second term as a president, just as he did during his first term. In this exclusive interview with Leaders MENA Magazine, the Saudi geopolitical analyst, Salman Al-Ansari, shares his invaluable insights on Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, US policy towards Israel, the situation in Gaza, and other key regional issues. Salman Al-Ansari is a prominent Saudi geopolitical analyst and commentator specialized in strategic and political communication. He was named by Arab News as the most influential political pundit in the Middle East in 2021. Trump's Visit to Saudi Arabia From May 13-16, 2025, Trump embarked on a Middle Eastern tour, visiting three Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. The visit came at a time of heightened regional and international tensions and global economic uncertainty. The US President chose Riyadh to be his first stop, signaling the Kingdom's growing significance as a central player in regional and international dynamics. 'Trump's 2025 visit to Saudi Arabia underscored the Kingdom's transformation from a passive partner to a proactive architect of regional order,' Salman Al-Ansari noted. 'By choosing Riyadh as an early and prominent stop, Trump acknowledged Saudi Arabia's unmatched leverage in regional security, energy stability, and global economic realignment,' he added. Strong Bond During his speech at the Saudi-US Investment Forum, Trump praised the leadership of the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, calling him an 'incredible man' that has turned Riyadh into a major business, cultural and high-tech capital of the entire world. 'Crucially, the visit also highlighted the strong personal and professional bond between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Trump,' Al-Ansari said. 'Both leaders share a results-driven mindset, a willingness to challenge conventional norms, and a vision rooted in national sovereignty and transformative economics. Their personal chemistry fosters direct communication, accelerates decision-making, and acts as a stabilizing force in bilateral relations,' he explained. 'Together, this alignment—between two bold leaders and two strategically vital nations—reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's central role in shaping the Middle East's future and influencing global policy from Riyadh as much as from Washington,' Al-Ansari told Leaders MENA Magazine. Economic Deals and Vision 2030 A large delegation of business leaders and investors accompanied Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia, resulting in the announcement of numerous major agreements across various sectors. The new deals channeled substantial Saudi investment into diverse American sectors like energy, technology, defense, and infrastructure, while simultaneously providing Saudi Arabia with advanced US technologies, defense capabilities, and expertise crucial for its economic diversification goals under Vision 2030. In the light of this, Salman Al-Ansari noted that 'these multi-billion dollar agreements reflected Vision 2030 in action: advancing economic diversification, boosting FDI, and localizing strategic industries. But beyond traditional sectors, this visit emphasized future-facing fields—particularly artificial intelligence (AI), advanced computing, biotech, and clean energy.' Mutual Economic Benefits The Saudi geopolitical analyst pointed out how these agreements support Saudi Arabia's economic diversification efforts. 'Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Through giga-projects like NEOM and major AI investments, the Kingdom aims to lead in setting global standards for AI ethics, infrastructure, and applications,' he explained. 'These partnerships with US tech giants are not just economic—they are strategic, placing Saudi Arabia in the vanguard of shaping the digital economy and the post-oil global order,' Al-Ansari told Leaders MENA Magazine. 'For the US, these deals provide access to one of the world's fastest-evolving innovation ecosystems. For Saudi Arabia, they accelerate the transition from an oil-based economy to one based on data, talent, and frontier technologies,' he added. US Policy on Israel The US President excluded Israel from his Middle East tour, amid reports of a growing gap between the two allies. Trump also secured the release of Israeli-American hostage, Edan Alexander, through direct negotiations with Hamas, and announced a truce with the Houthis, signaling what might be seen as a shift in the US policy on Israel. On this matter, Al-Ansari said: 'Israel's exclusion from Trump's 2025 regional tour—paired with a US-negotiated release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander via Hamas and a brokered truce with the Houthis—highlighted a recalibration. 'Trump appeared more aligned with Arab interests than with Netanyahu's traditional hardline approach. This signals a shift from automatic support for Israeli leadership toward a more interest-based, autonomous US strategy. Tensions between Trump and Netanyahu may reflect diverging visions, not shared values.' Position on Gaza At the GCC-US Summit in Riyadh, Trump said that the people of Gaza deserved a 'better future,' while Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed the Kingdom's support for 'de-escalating tensions in the region, ending the war in Gaza, and seeking a lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause.' On the prospect of translating these statements into concrete and coordinated actions to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Al-Ansari believed that these remarks 'show rhetorical convergence.' However, 'the challenge lies in translating these words into action—through mechanisms like reconstruction-for-ceasefire deals, governance reforms in Gaza, and unified Arab-American diplomatic tracks,' he elaborated. 'The potential is there for alignment, but it depends on synchronized pressure and incentives on all conflict parties,' the Saudi geopolitical analyst added. Recognition of Palestine Saudi Arabia and France will jointly chair an international conference for the implementation of the two-state solution on June 17-20, 2025, in a push to encourage more countries to recognize the State of Palestine. Within this context, Salman Al-Ansari said that 'momentum is building,' with France and the UK weighing the recognition of Palestine. 'If Paris and London move forward, other nations—particularly in Europe, Latin America, and Africa—are likely to follow,' he said. With regards to the potential impact of this move, he noted that 'Such a diplomatic wave wouldn't immediately shift facts on the ground, but it would isolate Israeli annexation policies and give Palestinians greater legitimacy on the global stage, reshaping the diplomatic battlefield.' Lifting Syria Sanctions While in Riyadh, President Trump announced the lifting of all US sanctions on Syria, at the request of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – a move that 'marks a major regional realignment,' according to Al-Ansari. 'It signals a shift toward reintegration over isolation, in line with the Arab League's recent normalization trend. The move could weaken Iranian influence, enable refugee return plans, and restore Syria's economic channels. It also reflects Riyadh's rising influence in shaping not just regional security, but US policy,' he explained. Iran Nuclear Deal The US and Iran are in talks to reach a new nuclear deal to curb Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump extended an 'olive branch' to Iran, but warned Tehran of consequences if it did not make a deal and end its support for proxy groups. 'Trump's offer of a new nuclear deal—coupled with a warning over Iranian proxies—is classic carrot-and-stick diplomacy. The Trump administration is not interested in endless negotiations; he appears to understand Iran's stalling tactics well,' Al-Ansari told Leaders MENA Magazine. 'Tehran now has an option: strike a deal with the US that limits its nuclear ambitions and curbs the involvement of its proxies in the Middle East—or face unprecedented sanctions and a possible military threat,' he said. Short link : Post Views: 1
Saudi Gazette
20-05-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Cabinet reaffirms expanding investment and trade ties with US, earmarking over $600 billion
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — The Saudi Council of Ministers on Tuesday reiterated its commitment to expanding investment and trade relations with the United States with allocation of more than $600 billion over the next four years. The Cabinet session, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, in Jeddah, noted that over $300 billion was announced in deals and mutual investments at the Saudi-US Investment Forum held during the visit of US President Ronald Trump on May 13 in Riyadh. At the outset of the session, the King thanked US President Donald Trump for accepting the invitation to visit Saudi Arabia and lauded the outcomes of his discussions with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. These discussions are expected to elevate bilateral relations to an unprecedented historical level across numerous vital sectors, thereby enhancing the economic integration of the two friendly countries. The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the Saudi-US Summit, held during President Trump's first official foreign visit of his current term, foremost among them the signing of the Strategic Economic Partnership and the announcement of various agreements and memoranda of understanding. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of State, Cabinet Member for Shoura Council Affairs and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed said that the Cabinet commended the comprehensive content and vision presented in the Crown Prince's speech at the GCC-USA Summit. He noted that the speech reflected the Kingdom's commitment to strengthening joint coordination and advancing multilateral action with friendly nations for greater prosperity and progress. It also underscored support for resolving regional and international crises and conflicts through peaceful means. The Cabinet commended the US president's positive response to the Crown Prince's efforts to lift sanctions on Syria, expressing hope that this step would contribute to the development and reconstruction of that country. The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom's statement at the 34th Ordinary Session of the Arab League Summit, emphasizing its categorical rejection of any attempts at forced displacement or imposed solutions that fail to meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people. It also stressed the need for maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza. The Cabinet commended the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) on its 10th anniversary for its efforts in assisting millions in need across more than 100 countries. on the domestic front, the Cabinet reviewed the achievements of the National Industrial Strategy, which successfully attracted three global automotive industry leaders to establish factories in the Kingdom, contributing significantly to economic diversification and enhancing global competitiveness. The Cabinet also lauded the prestigious awards won by Saudi students at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF 2025), underscoring the state's strong commitment to education, fostering knowledge and innovation, and nurturing generations distinguished in science and skills. The Cabinet approved the establishment of a supervisory body for health services within the Ministry of Defense. It endorsed a mechanism to regulate the work of competent authorities regarding scrap sites to prevent the entry of radioactive materials or scrap metal contaminated with radioactive materials. The Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Saudi Arabia and Japan for the establishment of a strategic partnership council, and another MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan for cooperation in the field of communications and information technology. The Council authorized the minister of transport and logistics and chairman of the board of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Russian side a draft MoU for cooperation in the field of civil aviation safety between the GACA and the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport. It authorized the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Kazakh side a draft MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan for cooperation in the field of mineral wealth. The Cabinet approved a framework agreement between Saudi Arabia and the International Labor Organization regarding programs for junior professional staff and recruitment, and a MoU for cooperation in the health sector between the Saudi Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Health of Singapore. The Council authorized Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) or his deputy to discuss and sign with the Indian side a draft MoU on geological scientific cooperation between SGS and the Geological Survey of India. The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement between the Presidency of State Security of Saudi Arabia and the National Intelligence and Security Service of Somalia in combating terrorism and its financing.
New York Post
17-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
‘Forever bonds' may be back in play for Team Trump after Saudi Arabia trip
Maybe the 50-year bond isn't so dead. The conventional wisdom is that so-called 'forever bonds,' or US Treasuries with a maturity of 50 years or more, isn't something that Team Trump is considering for lots of reasons. The main one being that the notion of selling such long-term debt could make it less appealing for investors to buy more conventional treasuries such as 10- and 30-year bonds pegged to consumer rates like mortgages — which would shoot up interest rates for average Americans. President Trump shaking hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Saudi-US investment forum in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. Photo by Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs/UPI/Shutterstock Ever since dismissing the forever bond in this column a few weeks ago, I've been hearing the other side of the story. Lots of talk along the DC-Wall Street corridor centered on the possibility that the 50-year T-bill could be making a comeback because President Trump was once warm to the idea and he has a lot of short-term debt coming due that could muck up his broader economic agenda. More recently, I've been hearing that forever bonds could in some way be part of Trump's negotiations with the Saudis, who have just pledged economic cooperation and investment in the US. I have no solid info that Trump ever broached the idea during his recent sit-down with Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman, aka MBS. It was a love-fest between the 39-year-old crown prince and the 78-year-old Trump, with no shortage of platitudinous compliments and lots of promises of closer economic ties with the cash-rich kingdom, so who knows what came up. Plus, the Saudis operate one of the world's largest sovereign-wealth funds, the $900-billion-plus PIF. That's one reason there's speculation the Saudis could help the US refinance its debt with the 50-year bond. The other reason is our country's addiction to government spending, even with the allegedly frugal GOP in charge. There might be a need to pay our creditors later rather than sooner so we can afford tax cuts while enjoying all that spending that leads to a $2 trillion budget deficit. $36 trillion to repay Those dreaded trade deficits President Trump wants to fix through tariffs are rooted in our massive budget deficit. The potential $160 billion in DOGE cuts is nice, but it's barely making a fiscal dent and we still have $36 trillion in debt to repay. Deficits mean we need bond buyers from around the world, places like Japan and China, who buy our treasuries after they convert their currencies into ours, all of which strengthens the dollar and makes exports more expensive, aka trade deficits. The whole rigmarole leads not just to trade imbalances but to higher interest rates since we keep selling bonds to finance our largesse. A refinancing of that debt — spreading out principal and interest payments over many years — could reduce debt service costs, the theory goes, since bonds coming due now wouldn't have to be repaid for 50 years. Again, there are many in the economic community who think such a refinancing is playing with fire. It could be seen as a default, an indication to the world we don't have the money to meet our immediate commitments. My pal Stephen Moore, a former Trump economic adviser, remains a proponent of the 50-year bond. He tells me Trump was hot on the idea during his first term. It was shot down by others in the administration. Moore concedes the interest rate environment is different now than when he pitched the idea to Trump back in 2019 — long-term rates are higher so the longest bond will be relatively more expensive. But the Biden administration issued so much short-term debt (mainly to disguise the interest rate impact of its overspending) that debt-service payments will start to balloon when those bonds reach maturity in the coming months and years. Refinancing that borrowing for the next 50 years could give Trump some room to enact growth-oriented tax cuts and begin to rein in federal spending, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested is the Trump economic policy, Moore says. A spokeswoman for Bessent had no immediate comment.
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Trump's Middle East visit raises Israel's anxieties
US President Donald Trump (left) looks on as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets the crowd during the Saudi-US investment forum in Riyadh on May 13. PHOTO: AFP WASHINGTON – One of the most eye-catching images from President Donald Trump's three-nation Arabian Gulf tour was the sight of Saudi, Emirati and Qatari fighter jets soaring alongside Air Force One , escorting the US presidential plane across the blue skies. It sent a clear message : Trust between America and its wealthy Gulf partners is deepening. Notably, Mr Trump's four-day itinerary excluded Israel, a move that has raised brows among foreign policy experts and pro-Israel advocates about the perceived repositioning of the US-Israel relationship. The tour was viewed with great concern in Israel, said Mr Shalom Lipner, a former official who has served several Israeli premiers – including incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu – at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. Impressions matter, he told The Straits Times . 'Even if the president's primary focus is on doing business in the Gulf, not making a stop in Jerusalem is being perceived as a message in itself,' said Mr Lipner, who is now a senior fellow at the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative of the Atlantic Council. The omission, which underscores the apparent divergence of opinion on how best to address regional challenges in Iran, Syria, Yemen and other places, appears all the more surprising given the enduring influence of the powerful and famous pro-Israel lobby in Washington. 'Famed or not, no interest group is, or was ever, omnipotent,' Mr Lipner said, remarking on the broad network of individuals, organisations and interest groups that seek to influence the US government and Congress to advance the interests of Israel. With a shift in American public opinion amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the rise of progressive and left-wing organisations, the lobby's influence has dipped. Now, it is often openly criticised. The discourse in Washington has changed greatly, noted Mr Lipner. 'Trump is in the driver's seat, and there's little room for discussion or dissent,' he said. 'There is room only to devise a path of accommodation with his objectives or to risk going it alone, without being able to depend credibly upon US support.' Israel was a stop in Mr Trump's first overseas trip of his first term but sidestepped in his second-term strategy, which has prioritised transactional diplomacy, experts said. Hundreds of billions of dollars in trade and defence deals were announced during his stops in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Doha this week . On Iran, the divergence is particularly stark. Both Washington and Jerusalem view Iran's nuclear ambitions as a major threat, but the Trump administration has leaned towards diplomatic engagement. The word in DC is that former national security advisor Mike Waltz was ousted at least partly due to his advocacy of total dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear programme. Mr Trump and some of his key Cabinet members reportedly support Iran having access to some kind of enrichment that allows a civilian nuclear programme. In contrast, Israel had hoped to secure Washington's support for pre-emptive military measures on nuclear sites of Iran, a country it views as an existential threat. The recent US understanding reached with the pro-Iran Houthi terrorist group is also not to Israel's liking. On May 5, the US and the Houthis agreed not to target each other, after seven weeks of US strikes on Yemen in response to Houthi missile and drone attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis had shot down several American MQ-9 Reaper drones and fired at ships in the Red Sea, including an American aircraft carrier. The strikes burned through weapons and munitions at a rate of about US$1 billion ($1.3 billion) in the first month alone, US media has reported. But their deal to end the firing did not include an end to attacks on Israel, which has conducted retaliatory strikes on the Houthis. If the Trump administration is going to deal with the Houthis that leaves the Israelis out, the Israelis are going to be clear that they are not bound by it, said Dr Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). 'We saw Israel's spectacular raid on the airport in Sanaa. And I would expect that we'll see something like that again,' he said during a briefing on Mr Trump's trip. This is not the best moment in US-Israel relations, noted Mr Elliott Abrams, who was a Special Representative for Iran in Mr Trump's first term. 'I wouldn't call it a breach. Tensions rise and fall under every president,' said Mr Abrams, who is also a senior fellow at CFR. 'There's a concentration now because there may be disagreements about Gaza, Iran and the Houthis.' During his trip, Mr Trump also unveiled an arms sales package to Saudi Arabia worth nearly US$142 billion, with the White House calling it 'the largest defence cooperation agreement' in American history. Although it did not specify which arms the US would sell Saudi Arabia, F-35s are reportedly on the table. This has also stirred concern in Israel where observers point out that the US law requires that Israel maintain a 'Qualitative Military Edge' over its neighbours in the Middle East. Israel is currently the only country in the Middle East operating the F-35s. The space for Arab opinion in US policymaking has expanded, Dr Cook said. 'Think about it, the Saudis are playing a role in mediating with the Ukrainians and the Russians. The Emiratis have been instrumental in bringing Americans wrongfully imprisoned in Russia home. The Qataris have had a big role to play in Gaza and are trying to get to a ceasefire there. And now you have the Omanis, who are deeply involved in not only the nuclear negotiations but also the Houthis,' he said. 'It seems that the Trump administration sees America's partners in the Gulf as their kind of trusted interlocutors, not treaty allies in Europe or other partners. And it's a different look for American foreign policy to go to these Gulf states as mediators on issues, both within the region and beyond.' While Israel is increasingly anxious about being sidelined in regional calculations, the US focus has also prompted questions on the impact on China, which has been trying to position itself as an alternative broker for economic and diplomatic engagement in recent years. Mr Trump's visit is the first direct attempt to halt China's momentum and reestablish the US as the principal outside power shaping the future of the Gulf, said Ms Zineb Riboua, a research fellow at the Centre for Peace and Security in the Middle East, at the Hudson Institute. Mr Trump's decision to make his first major foreign visit to Riyadh rather than Brussels, London, or Tokyo is a deliberate signal that the US sees the Middle East as a vital theatre of strategic competition with China, she wrote in a Hudson Institute report . This shift is also visible in the administration's approach to Syria, she noted, calling Mr Trump's May 13 decision to lift sanctions on Damascus 'not a random concession' to the post-Assad regime. 'Rather, it is an attempt to re-enter a strategic theatre that the Obama administration ceded to China, Russia, and Iran,' she said. 'For years, Beijing has shielded (former president) Bashar al-Assad's Syria at the UN and positioned itself to lead post-war reconstruction efforts alongside Russian firms,' she said. 'The sanctions' removal signals a renewed American effort to prevent Beijing from monopolising a strategically central part of the Middle East.' Attention has also focused on Washington's readiness to allow Saudi Arabia access to advanced US semiconductors. This could be intended to shut China out of future Gulf infrastructure in artificial intelligence , surveillance, and cloud computing, according to Ms Riboua. 'These agreements are part of the administration's strategy to push back on China's expanding influence by making digital sovereignty central to US security partnerships,' she said. Mr Trump was less subtle about his messaging to the Arab nations. 'They were being coaxed very strongly by China, because this solved China's fuel problem forever,' he said in a May 16 interview with Fox News, referring to the Arab nations that supply about half of China's crude oil imports. 'They were going to China and that was going to be their 'parent,'' he said. 'And that's not happening any more.' Bhagyashree Garekar is The Straits Times' US bureau chief. Her previous key roles were as the newspaper's foreign editor (2020-2023) and as its US correspondent during the Bush and Obama administrations. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
