Donald Trump’s first foreign trip of his second term is being hosted by the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, who was charged with ordering the brutal execution of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi embassy in Istanbul almost seven years ago. However, the prince has consistently denied any involvement in the murder.
In a bizarre speech that was attended by some of the world’s business elite, President Donald Trump asked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman something uncanny.
What did Donald Trump say to MBS that stunned the room?
Donald Trump raised eyebrows during a speech in Riyadh when he asked Saudi Crown Prince MBS how he sleeps at night. The remark came amid praise for Saudi Arabia’s global business influence, as per a report by the Daily Beast.
After claiming that Riyadh has developed into a significant global business hub, Trump received a standing ovation. Then, blatantly disregarding the teleprompter, he asked, “Mohammed, do you sleep at night? How do you sleep? What a job.
“He tosses and turns like some of us, tosses and turns all night, ‘How do I make it better?’ It’s the ones who don’t toss and turn, they’re the ones who will never take you to the promised land.”
“Critics doubted it was possible, what you’ve done, but over the past eight years,” he continued, referring back to the script. Saudi Arabia has completely disproved the critics.
Throughout the speech, Trump raved about his lengthy relationship with the royal leader known as MBS, but there was no reference to Khashoggi’s murder or indication that it was on his mind. After declaring that he was removing sanctions on Syria at the request of MBS and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as per a report by the Daily Beast.
The president may have been thinking about sleep because he was seen seemingly nodding off during a welcome ceremony after arriving in Riyadh on a red-eye flight from Washington, D.C.
Donald Trump claimed that Saudi Arabia was now the “centre of the world,” despite the Arab country’s problematic human rights record.
What did President Trump say about Syria?
Donald Trump also announced defence deals and a softer stance towards Syria. He hopes that the new administration will be able to stabilise the nation and maintain peace. In reference to the December coup that overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad. “That’s what we want to see in Syria,” he stated.
He also mentioned that on Wednesday, he would meet with President Ahmed al-Shara, the new leader of Syria, as per a report by the Daily Beast.
Donald Trump has made it clear that he believes the Iranian regime, which has brought about unspeakable suffering in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen, and other places, poses the greatest threat to Middle East peace.
Before beginning his speech, he thanked his Saudi hosts and asserted that the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack and the Ukraine-Russia conflict would not have occurred if he had served as president for the previous four years.
Who attended Donald Trump’s Saudi speech?
The audience included Arab business leaders, members of the Saudi royal family, and the CEOs of some of the largest American corporations.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla; Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI; and Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, were present in the audience.
Trump used the occasion to make fun of Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, saying, “Tim Cook isn’t here, but you are,” while at one point complimenting Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, as per a report by the Daily Beast.
FAQs
Did Donald Trump mention Khashoggi during his speech?
Despite speaking directly with Crown Prince MBS, he made no mention of the journalist’s murder.
Who was in the audience for Donald Trump’s Saudi speech?
US business leaders such as Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and members of the Saudi royal family.
