MBS Mocked Biden In Private, Questioned Mental State - Report

By Staff, Agencies

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman [MBS], the kingdom’s 37-year-old ruler, has reportedly mocked US President Joe Biden in private while questioning his mental state, a move that could fracture US-Saudi relations at a time when the partnership is being tested following a move by OPEC+ to cut oil production and harsh criticism of the regime by American lawmakers.

The Wall Street Journal reported that several people inside the Saudi government said the prince preferred former President Donald Trump and has seemed unimpressed with Biden since his days as vice president while also making fun of his gaffes.

The report didn't specify what gaffes or instances MBS referred to when speaking about Biden. The president has been criticized over the years for a number of them. Most recently, he was criticized when he called out a recently deceased congresswoman during a White House event in September.

"Jackie are you here? Where's Jackie? She must not be here," he said, referring to Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health.

During his campaign, Biden refused to talk to MBS for over a year, and when they did meet in Jeddah in July, it seemed like Biden didn't want to be there and was uninterested in the policy discussions, the people in the Saudi government said, according to the report.

The White House said Biden wants to review whether the Saudi relationship is serving US national security interests, the Journal report said. A recent move by the Saudi-led OPEC+ to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day at a time when gas prices are increasing has prompted several US lawmakers to call for Biden to reassess the relationship.