Trump was asked about his ties with Riyadh following reports that he had rejected a request from MBS for direct US military action against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.
US President Donald Trump has claimed Saudi Arabia and Israel would have been “wiped off the face of the planet” if he were not president, while saying that his relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman remains “very good”.
In an interview with TIME published Thursday, Trump was asked about his ties with Riyadh following reports that he had rejected a request from the crown prince for direct US military action against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.
“I’ve done a lot for Saudi Arabia. I protect Saudi Arabia,” Trump said. “If I weren’t president, Saudi Arabia wouldn’t be here right now. Neither would Israel. They’d be wiped off the face of the planet.”
Trump Touts Ties With MBS
Trump said he continued to have a strong relationship with Mohammed bin Salman, commonly known as MBS.
“I like the crown prince,” he said, adding that their relationship was “very good”. Trump also repeated his broader claim that several countries would not exist without US protection under his leadership.
“My relationship is very good. But remember, if I weren’t here, there wouldn’t be a Saudi Arabia. There wouldn’t be an Israel. There wouldn’t be various other countries, also,” he said.
Saudi Weighs New Yemen Offensive
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is preparing for a possible new military offensive against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, with plans reportedly ranging from a coastal push to secure the Red Sea shipping route to a broader assault on multiple fronts, Reuters reported.
Regional and Western officials told Reuters that Riyadh is considering operations aimed at pushing the Houthis away from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.