President Trump on Monday gave a vote
of confidence to the leadership of Saudi
Arabia amid a royal family purge that has
rocked the Middle East.
“I have great confidence in King Salman
and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,
they know exactly what they are doing,”
Trump tweeted while traveling in Asia.
“Some of those they are harshly treating
have been ‘milking’ their country for
years!”
I have great confidence in King Salman
and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,
they know exactly what they are
doing....
5:03 AM - Nov 7, 2017
4,576 13,630 24,395
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
....Some of those they are harshly
treating have been “milking” their
country for years!
5:05 AM - Nov 7, 2017
4,893 7,335 17,701
1h Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
I have great confidence in King
Salman and the Crown Prince of
Saudi Arabia, they know exactly
what they are doing....
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
The president appeared to lend his
endorsement to this weekend’s arrests of
11 members of the Saudi royal family,
which authorities there described as a
crackdown against corruption.
The mass arrests amounted to the most
sweeping purge of the Saudi ruling elite
in the country’s modern history. Advisers,
ministers and businessmen were also
taken into custody on orders from a newly
formed anti-corruption committee.
Regional observers see the round-up as
one of the most dramatic moves yet by
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to
consolidate power.
The crown prince, 32, has taken over
several key government posts over the
past two years while pushing aside rivals
as he seeks to position himself as the next
leader of the oil-rich kingdom.
He also heads the anti-corruption panel.
Among those arrested were Prince Mutaib
bin Abdullah, a son of the late King
Abdullah and head of the National Guard,
and the kingdom’s wealthiest investor,
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.
Mohammad bin Salman has pushed the
hidebound kingdom to implement reforms
while cozying up to the U.S., a top Saudi
ally.
The crown prince, who is a son of King
Salman, has also formed a relationship
with President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared
Kushner.
Kushner made an unannounced visit to
Saudi Arabia last month, where U.S.
officials said he intended to discuss
Middle East peace.
Saudi Arabia was the site of Trump's first
trip abroad as president, a visit
Mohammad bin Salman was said to have
helped arrange.
Trump also has ties to bin Talal, who
helped bail him out of financial trouble in
the 1990s. The investor was part of a
group that purchased New York's Plaza
Hotel from Trump as well as the real-
estate mogul's yacht.
Their relationship took a turn for the
worse in 2015, when bin Talal bashed
Trump's campaign rhetoric and called on
him to drop out of the presidential race.
"Dopey Prince @Alwaleed_Talal wants to
control our U.S. politicians with daddy’s
money," Trump responded on Twitter.
"Can’t do it when I get elected.
#Trump2016"