United States: Joe Biden wants to "reassess" his relationship with Saudi Arabia

US President Joe Biden had traveled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in July 2022 for an official visit which notably saw him exchange a "fist bump", a familiar fist-to-fist salute, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, despite criticism from human rights activists.

AFP - BANDAR AL-JALOUD

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Joe Biden wants to "

reassess

" the United States' relationship with Saudi Arabia, the White House said today.

The announcement follows the diplomatic snub of OPEC+'s decision last week to slash its oil production quotas.

In July, the American president had however gone to Riyadh to meet the crown prince whom he had sworn to treat as a “

pariah

”.

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With our correspondent in Miami,

David Thomson

Direct consequence of the diplomatic humiliation suffered last week by Joe Biden, this handshake with Mohamed ben Salman which resulted in a slap in the face, as the American press writes.

Three months ago, the American president was in Jeddah to meet the crown prince.

This same prince whom he had sworn to make a " 

pariah 

" on the international scene after the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In exchange for this rehabilitation, the American president hoped that Saudi Arabia, leader of the OPEC countries, would push the oil cartel to open its crude floodgates.

All this to bring down fuel prices in the United States and therefore the record inflation that is hurting its popularity rating as the midterm elections approach.

But his diplomatic gamble ended in resounding failure: last week, OPEC+ announced that it would, on the contrary, limit its oil production.

A snub for the White House which reacts today.

The president has been very clear

," said his spokesman John Kirby, 

"we need to reassess this relationship" with Saudi Arabia

.

And Joe Biden says he is ready to reconsider this relationship in partnership with Congress, at a time when several influential elected officials are calling for an end to all arms deliveries to the Saudi kingdom.

President Biden feels that the US' relationship with Saudi Arabia needs to be re-evaluated in the wake of the OPEC+ decision last week to decrease oil production, a National Security Council spokesman said https://t.co/BfX9BQjDEX

— CNN (@CNN) October 11, 2022

To read also:

  • In the Middle East, Joe Biden tarnishes his image as "big boss of democracies"

  • Oil: OPEC + drastically lowers its quotas, by 2 million barrels

  • Oil: the specter of a drastic cut in production

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  • Saudi Arabia

  • United States

  • Joe Biden

  • Mohammad bin Salman