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Published : 30 Mar 2026, 11:41 AM
US President Donald Trump has mocked Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, often known as MBS, in blunt remarks while describing the current dynamics between Washington and Riyadh.
According to WION, an India-based news outlet, the comments came as the United States remains engaged in a month-long war involving Iran.
While Saudi Arabia has publicly called for an end to the conflict, some reports have suggested its leadership favours the war.
The broadcaster noted that despite mocking MBS, Trump’s remarks indicated strong alignment with Gulf allies.
Speaking at a Saudi-backed investment forum in Florida, Trump said the crown prince “did not think this was going to happen” and “didn't think he would be kissing my a**”, adding that MBS had expected him to be “just another American president of a country going downhill”.
“But now he [MBS] has to be nice to me,” Trump said.
He later struck a more conciliatory tone, describing the Saudi leader as “smart” and a “very regular kind of a guy”, saying that perceptions of the US had improved “significantly” under his leadership.
The remarks also shed light on a report by The New York Times, which claimed that Salman has privately urged Trump to sustain the war, calling it a “historic opportunity” to weaken Iran.
The report said the Saudi leader pushed for “stronger” actions, including strikes on energy infrastructure.
The broadcaster noted that Saudi Arabia, however, has publicly denied these claims, officially maintaining a stance in favour of a peaceful resolution.
The conflict kicked off Feb 28, when the US and Israel carried out airstrikes across Iran.
The escalation led to the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, triggering a broad Iranian retaliation targeting Israel and US bases across Gulf countries.
Amid rising tensions, Trump has recently signalled openness to dialogue and is believed to have proposed a 15-point peace plan.
On Mar 25, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that indirect exchanges between Washington and Tehran had taken place via “friendly countries”, but stressed these should not be seen as formal negotiations.
Diplomatic efforts have also been gaining traction, with Pakistan expected to host foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt for talks aimed at de-escalation, WION said.
