Trump Recently Had a Conversation with Saudi Leader

Former President Donald J. Trump recently had a conversation with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marking their first publicly disclosed discussion since Mr. Trump left office in January 2021. The details of their conversation remain unclear, and neither party has commented on the nature of their discussion.

The timing of this conversation is significant as the Biden administration is currently engaged in delicate negotiations with Saudi Arabia to establish lasting peace in the Middle East. President Biden is working towards a trilateral megadeal that would include a Saudi-Israeli peace agreement, a commitment to a two-state solution, a U.S.-Saudi defense treaty, and agreements on a civilian nuclear program in Saudi Arabia. However, the success of this deal hinges on garnering support from two-thirds of senators for ratification.

Mr. Trump’s close ties with Prince Mohammed date back to his time in office, where he pursued major deals with Saudi Arabia, including arms sales, and defended the crown prince amidst international pressure following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Since leaving office, Mr. Trump has continued to leverage his relationship with Prince Mohammed for business opportunities, including a multibillion-dollar real estate development in Oman.

Additionally, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has also benefited from his relationship with Prince Mohammed, securing a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund for his investment firm, Affinity Partners.

In addition to his conversation with Prince Mohammed, Mr. Trump recently hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at his Mar-a-Lago estate, praising him as a strong leader despite criticism of his erosion of democratic institutions in Hungary. These engagements with foreign leaders highlight Mr. Trump’s continued involvement in international affairs even after leaving office.