In a recent report, it has been revealed that former President Donald Trump had a conversation with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. This phone call comes at a time when the Biden administration is working towards normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
During his term in office, Trump achieved the significant milestone of normalizing relations between Israel and several Muslim majority countries. This phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman indicates that Trump’s efforts in this area are still relevant and being discussed.
Details about the conversation between the two leaders have not been disclosed. The Trump campaign has not provided any comments regarding this matter. However, the fact that this phone call took place suggests that there may be ongoing discussions and negotiations between the former president and the Saudi crown prince.
Interestingly, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan had planned a trip to Saudi Arabia but had to cancel it due to a cracked rib. The purpose of this trip was to discuss the efforts to improve relations between Jerusalem and Riyadh. It is unclear how Sullivan’s absence will impact these diplomatic negotiations.
The halt in diplomatic negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Israel can be traced back to a significant attack by Hamas on Israel in October 2023. President Biden has suggested that this attack was carried out to disrupt talks between the two nations. The president believes that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel could have united the Middle East and contributed to regional stability.
Under Trump’s leadership, the United States brokered the Abraham Accords, which led to normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Morocco, and Bahrain. This was seen as a major step towards increasing stability in the Middle East and countering the Iranian nuclear threat.
It is worth noting that former White House adviser Jared Kushner, who played a key role in negotiating the Abraham Accords, reportedly received a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund for his firm, Affinity Partners. This investment came six months after Trump left office, highlighting the close relationship between Kushner and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Overall, this recent conversation between Trump and the Saudi crown prince indicates that the efforts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel are still in progress. It remains to be seen how these discussions will unfold and if they will lead to any significant developments in the region.
