Biden visited Saudi Arabia three months ago and met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The recent decision points to the ineffectiveness of Biden’s efforts to patch up the United States' rocky relationship with one of its traditional “strategic partners” in the Middle East.
Biden told CNN that he thought it was time to “rethink” the country’s relationship with Saudi Arabia after their partnership with Russia to cut oil production despite the White House’s preventative efforts. His officials announced that the administration is currently reevaluating its relationship with the kingdom.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D–Conn) introduced legislation that, if passed, would immediately pause all U.S. arms sales to the kingdom for one year, which would also cease sales of support services, parts, and logistical support–though it remains to be seen how far the president is willing to go to punish what’s historically proven to be a vital ally in the Middle East.
“I’m not going to get into what I’d consider and what I have in mind,” said Biden in the interview. “But there will be — there will be consequences.” Members of the administration close to the president have said he believes “it's time to take another look at this relationship and make sure that its serving our national security interests.”
Biden: Will Decide on Re-Election After Midterms, Believes He Can 'Beat Trump Again'
There have been calls in the Democratic Party for Biden to step aside and allow a younger, “more nimble” member of the party to lead the 2024 election cycle, with recent polling suggesting that as few as 4 in 10 Democrats feel he should run again. According to reports, the president “firmly” believes that he is the only Democrat who can beat former President Trump in a “rematch.”
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday the White House has no timeline for its review. The U.S. president’s approval rating currently sits below 40%.