How Significant Was MBS’s Visit to the US?

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00:00Fred, you just mentioned the Saudi crown prince, MBS, who was just in the United States and

00:08finished a rather successful visit from both the American readout and the Saudi readout.

00:14What's your take on the visit?

00:16Well, the rapport between these two powerful leaders was just incredible to watch. I think

00:21they like each other. They got along well. They struck important economic deals, defense deals.

00:26The U.S. agreed to sell stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia. And the prince said that he actually is

00:33interested in joining the Abraham Accords. He simply wants to have a pathway to a Palestinian

00:38state. And I like that answer because he didn't ask for a guarantee. He didn't ask for more than

00:43can be provided. I think what the crown prince asked for is eminently doable under the current

00:50peace plan. I think that we have to work out some more details. But it suggested to me that

00:56given the way things are going and Trump's leadership, the crown prince is very eager to

01:00make this agreement. And I was so happy to see President Trump repair the U.S.-Saudi relationship

01:07after the extreme damage done by the Biden administration, which I don't want to talk

01:11about. But also, we know that Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabians are smart and savvy. And if they feel

01:18they're being disrespected and treated badly by the United States, they will go elsewhere. And I was

01:23very concerned during the Biden administration. The frequent trips by Chinese diplomats to the

01:28region, new trade deals and oil deals, China was striking with Saudi Arabia and with the Arabian

01:34Gulf states and the presence of the Russians in the region. So if America walks away, if we create a

01:40power vacuum, Russia and China will rush in. That's not in the interest of the region. It's not in our

01:46interests. So I'm glad that Trump really pushed that back and has reestablished a strong strategic

01:53relationship and friendship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.