Former President Donald Trump recently met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, according to reports.
The phone conversation between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the likely Republican presidential candidate, was reported by The New York Times as the Biden administration pushes to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The normalization of relations between the Jewish state and many Muslim-majority countries was one of Trump’s landmark foreign policy achievements during his only term in office.
It is unclear exactly when the conversation took place between Saudi Arabia’s 38-year-old de facto ruler and the 77-year-old former president, and no details have been reported about what was discussed on the phone call. do not have. outlet.
The Trump campaign did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan canceled a planned trip to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after suffering a cracked rib that made him unable to travel.
“This was a minor accident of his own making,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. “It was not caused by anyone. It was not the result of an outrageous act.”
Sullivan will try to reschedule her trip as soon as possible, Kirby added.
White House officials were expected to meet Salman in connection with the U.S.-led effort to repair relations between Jerusalem and Riyadh.
Diplomatic negotiations stopped after Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
President Biden has suggested that the attacks on Israel were also aimed at disrupting talks.
“One of the reasons they did what they did, one of the reasons why Hamas launched an attack on Israel, is because I joined forces with the Saudis,” the 81-year-old Biden said at a campaign fundraiser last October. Because they knew what was about to happen.”
“Because the Saudis wanted to recognize Israel, which would effectively unify the Middle East,” he added.
The deal that was taking shape was aimed at increasing stability in the Middle East, countering the nuclear threat from Iran (Iran is a bitter rival of Saudi Arabia), and increasing economic cooperation.
Under the Trump administration, the United States brokered the normalization agreement, or Abraham Accords, between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Morocco, and Bahrain.
Jared Kushner, a former White House adviser and Trump’s son-in-law who developed a close relationship with Salman during negotiations over the Abraham Accords, sold his firm Affinity Partners six months later from a Saudi sovereign wealth fund. It has reportedly received an investment of $2 billion. President Trump has left office.
