According to a report from the New York Times on Wednesday, Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump recently engaged in a conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Citing information from two individuals briefed on the discussion, the newspaper highlighted that the content of their conversation remained unclear. It is also uncertain whether this exchange marked their first interaction since Trump’s presidential tenure, which spanned from 2017 to 2021.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, faced with a cracked rib, had to delay his plans to journey to Saudi Arabia this week for a meeting with the crown prince, widely recognized as the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia.
Sullivan’s intended discussions with the prince were part of a broader U.S. initiative aimed at advancing the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
It’s worth noting that Saudi Arabia served as Trump’s inaugural foreign destination upon assuming office in 2017.