In an interview with Bloomberg, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman specifically underscored that Riyadh "will pay nothing" to Washington for Saudi Arabia's security, adding that "all the armaments we have from the United States of America are paid for, it's not free armament."
"Ever since the relationship started between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, we've bought everything with money," Bin Salman said.
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He recalled that since US President Donald Trump took office in early 2017, Riaydh had agreed to buy a total of 400 billion dollars worth of US-made weapons, which Bin Salman said was "a good achievement" for Trump.
"Also included in these agreements are that part of these armaments will be manufactured in Saudi Arabia, so it will create jobs in America and Saudi Arabia, good trade, good benefits for both countries and also good economic growth. Plus, it will help our security,” Bin Salman pointed out.
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The remarks came a day after Trump claimed that Saudi King Salman would not be able to last in power without US military support.
"We protect Saudi Arabia. Would you say they're rich? And I love the King, King Salman. But I said 'King – we're protecting you — you might not be there for two weeks without us — you have to pay for your military," Trump said.
