Granholm said on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday that it was their “understanding” that Biden would meet the crown prince in person next month during his planned trip to Saudi Arabia, which amounts to a reversal of the president’s earlier promise to do so Country an “outcast” for his role in the 2018 assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. When asked by CNN’s Dana Bash if Biden would meet Crown Prince Mohammed to discuss oil prices, Granholm first said he would “follow the purpose of this international conference” – a nod to the Gulf Cooperation Council summit , to be held in Jeddah – before adding that she thought the President would meet with the Saudis’ de facto leader.
“I think he will meet with the Saudi crown prince,” Granholm said. “He has urged all suppliers around the world to increase production [Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries], including our domestic oil and gas producers. He’s calling for a top-up like other leaders around the world.”
At Bash’s urging to clarify if the meeting would be one-on-one, Granholm said: “As far as I know, they – he will meet. But overall there are a number of meetings around energy.”
The secretary’s comments contrasted with Biden’s comments on Friday.
“I’m not going to meet with MBS, I’m going to an international meeting. And he will participate in it, just as there were people today who participated in a big discussion,” the president said at the virtual leadership meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Leadership and Climate, held on Friday, which referred to the crown prince by his initials .
Asked later Sunday by CNN for clarification on Granholm’s comments, a National Security Council spokesman stayed close to the government’s talking points.
“The President will be in Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman along with eight other heads of state for the GCC+3 summit,” the spokesman said, referring to the meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.
“As we have said before, there will be a bilateral meeting with King Salman and his team. This meeting will be attended by the Crown Prince and other Saudi officials,” the NSC spokesman added. “The President will see over a dozen of his counterparts over the course of that trip to the Middle East next month.”
The trip, scheduled for mid-July, will also include Biden’s first stop in Israel as president, as well as a visit to the Palestinian West Bank.
Officials said Biden approved the visit to Saudi Arabia after initially hesitating to back down from his vow to make the kingdom pay a price for its role in Khashoggi’s murder.
Biden has avoided direct contact with Crown Prince Mohammed since taking office, opting instead to speak to his father, King Salman, who is 86 and in poor health. The White House said in February 2021 that Biden aimed to “recalibrate” ties with Riyadh, including by shunning the crown prince whom US intelligence has blamed for the assassination of Khashoggi.
But with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a global surge in energy prices and a mounting nuclear threat from Iran, the US has been trying to rebuild ties with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.
The trip and meeting with Prince Mohammed drew criticism, including from some of Biden’s allies in Congress.
Asked by Bash to explain to the American people why it was appropriate for Biden to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed after Khashoggi’s assassination, Granholm defended the president.
“Obviously the President is a strong believer in human rights and has condemned Saudi Arabia,” the secretary said, adding that Biden was “very concerned” about Khashoggi’s murder.
“I am sure we will address this issue. But he’s also very concerned about what people are experiencing at the pump, and Saudi Arabia is the head of OPEC, and we need to increase production so ordinary people in America don’t feel this pain that they’re feeling right now.” She added, “That’s why the whole world is urging people to increase production, but especially our own oil and gas producers.”
CNN’s Kevin Liptak and Veronica Stracqualursi contributed to this report.