Trump and Saudi Arabia: A Love Built on Humiliation – “Pay Up to Stay Protected”

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again taken to publicly humiliating Saudi Arabia, launching his second presidential term with a new wave of insults. Trump delivered a scathing statement, demanding $500 billion from the Kingdom as a precondition for making it his first international destination following his official inauguration.

During a session in which Trump signed several documents, he was asked about the likely destination for his first overseas visit as president. He initially mentioned the United Kingdom, a traditional choice. However, he quickly noted that during his first term, his first trip was to Saudi Arabia, just months after assuming office in January 2017.

Trump explained that his decision to visit Saudi Arabia at the time stemmed from the Kingdom’s agreement to purchase $450 billion worth of American goods, which he described as one of the least appreciated achievements of his last presidency.

When asked again about his potential first destination this time, Trump replied, “If Saudi Arabia is willing to buy another $450 or $500 billion worth of goods, I think I’d most likely go there.” He added that the increased figure accounted for inflation in the United States.

These latest remarks are just another example of Trump’s consistent rhetoric, where he demeans and ridicules the Saudi regime, emphasizing its dependency on the United States. Strikingly, this pattern of public humiliation is met with silence from Riyadh, which refrains from addressing these provocations.

In fact, during his first-term campaign, Trump openly admitted that one of his favorite activities was mocking Saudi Arabia and its leadership, including King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Trump repeatedly told the Saudi King, “You have to pay because, without us, you wouldn’t last two weeks in power.”

At campaign rallies, Trump often recounted phone calls with King Salman, bragging about the insults he directed at the Saudi monarch. Reuters reported that Trump once warned King Salman that he wouldn’t survive two weeks in power without American military support.

At a rally in Southaven, Mississippi, Trump stated, “We protect Saudi Arabia. You’ll say they’re rich, and I love the King—King Salman. But I said, ‘King, we’re protecting you. Without us, you wouldn’t last two weeks. You have to pay for our military.’”

He also claimed that King Salman holds trillions of dollars in wealth, emphasizing that without U.S. protection, “only God knows what would happen to Saudi Arabia.”

In another rally in Virginia, Trump revealed details of a long conversation with King Salman. Trump bluntly informed the King that Saudi Arabia’s security and even its fleet of aircraft depended entirely on the United States.

The American Administration’s Brazen Humiliation of Riyadh

Since the 1930s, U.S.-Saudi relations have revolved around a mutual exchange: oil for protection. Over time, the nature of this relationship has shifted, but no U.S. administration has been as openly humiliating toward Riyadh as Trump’s.

In 2017, Washington effectively installed Mohammed bin Salman as Crown Prince, displacing Mohammed bin Nayef and eliminating other rivals within the royal court. During Trump’s first visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, courtesy of King Salman, handed over $450 billion in deals and lavish gifts for Trump and his family.

This initial payment was made even before Trump had undertaken any significant action. Subsequent payments followed for every “favor” Washington provided to Riyadh, with Trump treating Saudi Arabia less like an ally and more like a target for mafia-style extortion.

Throughout his four-year presidency, Trump continued his campaign of public humiliation against Saudi Arabia, extracting billions in the process.

Under Mohammed bin Salman, U.S.-Saudi relations have reached unprecedented levels of subservience, as the Kingdom’s leadership appears unable—or unwilling—to push back against Trump’s bullying. According to Al-Jazeerah, analysts cite several reasons for this dynamic:

1. Dependence on U.S. Protection: The survival of the Saudi monarchy is inextricably tied to American military and political support.
2. Regional Conflicts: Saudi Arabia’s deep involvement in regional crises, such as the war in Yemen, depends heavily on U.S. backing.
3. Mohammed bin Salman’s Obsession with Power: The Crown Prince’s fixation on securing his throne has led him to surrender his country’s autonomy to Washington, knowing that defiance could threaten his grip on power.

Saudi Silence in the Face of American Humiliation

In an article for “Middle East Eye”, Saudi writer Madawi al-Rasheed posed a critical question: “How long will the Saudi regime remain silent in the face of systematic humiliation at the hands of Donald Trump?”

Al-Rasheed described the U.S.-Saudi relationship under Trump as “bare and devoid of the polite diplomatic language typically used in partnerships and alliances.” She argued that Saudi Arabia pays a steep price for its absolute dependence on the U.S. to secure its regime.

While Riyadh aggressively retaliates against less strategically significant nations like Canada, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Spain for criticizing its human rights record or actions in Yemen, it adopts a starkly different stance toward Washington.

According to Al-Rasheed, when it comes to the U.S., Saudi Arabia absorbs the insults and submits to the authority that guarantees its monarchy’s survival.

She pointed out that Trump’s public displays—such as showing off Saudi military expenditures to emphasize Riyadh’s vulnerability without U.S. support—are carefully crafted to entertain his domestic audience, which cheers as he demeans “oil sheiks.”

Al-Rasheed concluded that Trump’s incessant insults are designed to satisfy his electoral base, which thrives on his blunt, often disjointed statements. This strategy ensures that Saudi Arabia remains fearful of losing U.S. support, which it views as essential for its survival.

In her analysis, Al-Rasheed asserted that American policy under Trump hit its lowest point, abandoning principles of respect, fairness, and democratic ideals. She argued that the U.S., mired in scandals and a fractured political system, can no longer claim its status as a global leader. Instead, it relies on domination and humiliation, with Saudi Arabia playing the role of a willing victim in this degrading relationship.