U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
A prominent GOP strategist leveled President Donald Trump on Tuesday following his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has overseen the country's severe crackdown on dissent, including arbitrary detentions, lengthy prison sentences, and even death penalties for critics.
The crown prince addressed Trump as “my dear President Trump” and the Saudis played his campaign anthems — “God Bless the U.S.A.” and “ YMCA ” during his appearance at an investment forum, The Associated Press reported.
“I really believe we like each other a lot,” Trump said as they sat on golden chairs beneath ornate chandeliers in the royal palace. Trump called Prince Mohammed an “incredible man” and “my friend.”
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Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist and founder The Bulwark, a conservative news and opinion website, said Tuesday she had a "number of thoughts" on the meeting.
The first, she said, was about watching the "obsequious way in which he praises MBS." Longwell flagged Trump's comment that the U.S. has "great partners" in the world.
"But we have none stronger and nobody like the gentleman that's right before me. I like him a lot. I like him too much. That's why we give him so much," Trump said.
The flippant remarks drew immediate alarm for Longwell.
"Um, do you remember what MBS did during Trump's first term?" she asked journalist Jonathan V. Last, referring to the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by agents of the Saudi government.
"The chopping him up? The murder? The brutal murder? What is it about Donald Trump that makes him extra love... this is it, right? The more murderous and odious the leader, the more Trump loves them."
She noted that Trump doesn't hold European leaders in the same regard.
"Justin Trudeau he calls 'governor!'" exclaims Last.
"Boy, he loves him some autocrats. And it's all aspirational," Last added. "That's what he wants to be. He doesn't want to be president. Presidents come and go."
Watch the clip below or at this link.
JVL and @SarahLongwell25 talk Trump's bromance with MBS: pic.twitter.com/WzVKHOwTMF
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) May 13, 2025