&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Kissing my a**': Trump mocks Saudi's 'very regular kind of guy' MBS in blunt remarks")
In a distasteful remark, US President Donald Trump has claimed that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), was effectively “kissing my a**”, while describing the current dynamics between Washington and Riyadh. His comments come at a time when US is involved in a month-long war with Iran. While Saudi Arabia in its public statements have called for end of conflict, some reports suggest that the Saudi leadership was in favour of the war. Even as Trump mocked MBS, his statements suggested strong alignment with Gulf allies.
Speaking at a Saudi-backed investment forum in Florida, Trump said, “He did not think this was going to happen. He didn't think he would be kissing my a**… he thought I would be just another American president of a country going downhill. But now he has to be nice to me." The US president later struck a more conciliatory tone, describing MBS as a 'smart' and a ‘regular kind of a guy’ and adding that perceptions of the US had improved significantly under his leadership. “But you know he (Crown Prince Salman) is a smart, a very regular kind of a guy. He said an year ago, you were a dead country and now you are literally the hottest coutry anywhere in the world. And that was before we beat the hell out of Iran,” added Trump.
The comments by Trump shed light on a report by The New York Times that claimed that Mohammed bin Salman has been privately urging Trump to sustain the war, calling it a “historic opportunity” to weaken Iran and reportedly pushing for stronger actions, including strikes on energy infrastructure. However, Saudi Arabia has publicly denied supporting a prolonged conflict, reiterating its stance in favour of a peaceful resolution while focusing on defending itself against Iranian threats.
How the war began?
The conflict traces back to February 28, when the United States and Israel carried out pre-emptive airstrikes across Iran. The subsequent escalation reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a broad Iranian retaliation targeting not just Israel but also US bases across Gulf countries.
Amid rising tensions, US President Donald Trump recently signalled openness to dialogue and is believed to have proposed a 15-point peace plan. On March 25, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that indirect exchanges between Washington and Tehran had taken place via “friendly countries,” though he stressed that these should not be seen as formal negotiations. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts appear to be gaining traction, with Pakistan stepping in as a potential mediator. Islamabad is expected to host foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt for discussions aimed at de-escalation.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
