In a noteworthy display of camaraderie, Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman engaged in what attendees described as “a bromance for the ages” during their recent meeting at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh. The two leaders have developed a resilient friendship. Their deep personal connection with one another was clear even before the plenary session began, during their three hour long private meeting.
Remind the administration that President Trump’s first state visit in 2017 was to Saudi Arabia. He went on to commend Mohammed bin Salman for his ambitious plans and accomplishments, claiming that critics had simply lowballed Saudi Arabia’s wins. The former U.S. president highlighted, “Critics doubted what Mohammed bin Salman has done, but Saudi Arabia has proved them wrong.” This sentiment was shared with perhaps the majority of attendees, as most remarked on how wonderful the feel-good vibes were between the leaders.
Throughout the event, Mohammed bin Salman seemed to be in seventh heaven. To punctuate his speech he consistently laid his hand over his heart to convey his deep appreciation for Trump. The convening produced some impressive monetary commitments, most notably Saudi Arabia pledging $600 billion worth of investments into the United States. The arms deal for American weapons shattered records, reaching an astounding $142 billion. As we noted recently, this transaction deepens the economic partnership between the two countries.
In his speech, Trump spent more than 60% of his remarks praising the Saudi monarchy and its new crown prince. He very much underscored what an amazing change has taken place in Riyadh. He added, “Riyadh is becoming a worldwide center for commerce, culture, and advanced technology.” His opening comments belied a greater emphasis on growing bilateral relations.
Guests at the kickoff forum got to witness a few humorous instances of this. They observed Fortune 500 CEOs sitting Indian-style on the ground since there were no chairs. This light-hearted moment was a nice compliment to the robust business discussions happening.
Trump appeared somewhat isolated on the debate stage as Lee Greenwood’s patriotic anthem “Proud to be an American” rang out. He then proceeded to deliver one of the strongest, most passionate 50-minute speeches we’ve ever heard. Though touching on U.S.-Saudi relations, the address unsurprisingly focused mainly on Trump’s domestic agenda and legacy. He said wonderful things about Mohammed bin Salman, calling him, “your best friend, best friend. And if it weren’t for the personal bond and I didn’t like him at all, I would be outta here so fast. You know that, don’t you? He knows me well. I do — I really, really like him. I like him too much.
Saudis nationwide celebrated the new friendship between Trump and Mohammed bin Salman on Twitter and Facebook with jubilant postings. This warm reception for their romantic relationship continued outside of the forum as well. This friendship is in stark contrast to the current administration’s treatment of Saudi Arabia under President Biden.
Tarik Solomon, an attendee at the event, shared insights into the lengthy meeting: “We were locked in the plenary for three hours before they showed up.” This all highlights how serious and important both leaders are about these ongoing, vital discussions and joint missions.