- MBS suggested siding with Russia and China to punish Biden for sidelining him, the WSJ reported.
- As president, Biden has criticized Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and has not met MBS personally.
- MBS and King Salman met last year to discuss how to get back at Biden for his slights, the WSJ said.
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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman threatened to bring the country closer to Russia and China in a bid to punish President Joe Biden for distancing himself from the kingdom, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Since coming to power, the Biden administration has criticized Saudi human rights abuses, won US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen and shunned Crown Prince Mohammed — known colloquially as MBS. Also, Biden has yet to meet him in person.
In February 2021, the US imposed sanctions on dozens of Saudis believed to have played a role in the 2018 assassination of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi. The crown prince was not directly affected by the sanctions.
In response, the Journal, citing Saudi officials, reported that MBS, his advisers and his father, King Salman, met at a seaside palace last year to discuss what further punishments Biden might have in store and how Kingdom could forestall them.
The group discussed releasing more political prisoners to appease Biden, the Journal reported, but Crown Prince Mohammed instead said Saudi Arabia should threaten to cement alliances with Russia and China.
Saudi Arabia released its most prominent political prisoner, driving rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, in February 2021. Several others were released in their wake.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
It’s unclear whether the crown prince actually threatened the US with a move toward China and Russia, but it’s clear that Saudi Arabia has grown closer to China since last year, deepening its ties militarily, culturally and economically.
During this period, relations between Saudi Arabia and the US have deteriorated as the Saudis are upset that the US is not guaranteeing their security in the face of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has failed to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has tried not to anger Russia by ignoring US demands to increase oil production to offset the White House ban on Russian oil imports.
The Journal, citing Middle East and US officials, reported that Crown Prince Mohammed ignored Biden’s phone calls when the US tried to woo the Saudis for more oil.