American presidents have long made visits to Saudi Arabia, often resulting in memorable and sometimes peculiar moments. As President Joe Biden prepares for another trip to the oil-rich kingdom, it’s worth revisiting four notable instances from past presidential visits.
In 2022, President Biden arrived in Jeddah amid a tumultuous U.S.-Saudi relationship, exacerbated by his earlier commitment to ostracize the kingdom following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi—a crime the CIA attributed to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, the escalating oil crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced a shift in Biden’s approach. Upon arrival at the Royal Palace, he greeted the crown prince with a notable fist bump, a gesture that quickly made headlines and was swiftly shared by the Saudi government on social media. Following the meeting, Biden disclosed that he confronted the prince about Khashoggi’s killing, to which he was told that the crown prince bore no personal responsibility. Later in Washington, Biden grew frustrated during a press briefing when questioned about the fist bump, quipping, “Why don’t you guys talk about something that matters?” Ultimately, the trip did not deliver the increase in Saudi oil production that the Biden administration had hoped for.
In 2017, then-President Donald Trump encountered a moment straight out of a fantastical tale during his visit to Riyadh in the early days of his administration. Trump, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi placed their hands on a glowing orb—an image that quickly captured public imagination and inspired a slew of memes, with one comparing it to the ominous seeing stone from “The Lord of the Rings.” Despite the dramatics, the glowing sphere was merely a decorative globe at an anti-terrorism center aimed at combating extremist ideology.
Earlier, in 1974, President Richard Nixon received a warm welcome in Jeddah as part of a Middle Eastern diplomatic tour. His aim was twofold: to persuade Saudi Arabia to help lower oil prices and to leverage its regional influence toward fostering peace in the Middle East. During his address at the State Palace, Nixon conveyed that his visit was not solely about securing cheaper oil. “We can use oil, but we need more, something far more than oil,” he stated. “We need wisdom.”
Going even further back, President Franklin D. Roosevelt met King Abdulaziz al-Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, aboard a U.S. warship in 1945. Although not on Saudi soil, Roosevelt endeared himself to the king by presenting him with a wheelchair, recognizing the monarch’s mobility challenges and fostering goodwill between the nations.
These presidential encounters illustrate the complex interplay of diplomacy, oil, and personal gestures that have characterized U.S.-Saudi relations through the decades, each telling a story of the evolving landscape in international politics. As Biden embarks on his visit, these historic moments remind us of the longstanding and intricate ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Original Source: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/05/13/us/trump-news-saudi-arabia/trump-saudi-arabia-gulf-trip
Category : Trump, Donald J,Saudi Arabia,United States International Relations,United States Politics and Government,United States Defense and Military Forces,International Relations,Arms Trade,Mohammed bin Salman (1985- ),United States,Riyadh (Saudi Arabia),Qatar,United Arab Emirates,Sacks, David O
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-05-13 18:33:00
