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US President Donald Trump (L) speaks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L), while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (second from right) and British Prime Minister Theresa May smiles during a family photo session. at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. (Photo by KIM KYUNG-HOON / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read KIM KYUNG-HOON/AFP via Getty Images)
Kim Kyung-hoon | afp | fake images
US President Donald Trump on Thursday praised Saudi Arabia’s promise to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, although he suggested the figure should be higher.
“It was also reported in the newspapers today that Saudi Arabia will invest at least $600 billion in the United States,” Trump told an audience in Davos via video call, while mentioning major announcements of investment plans by foreign companies. in the country.
“But I will ask the Crown Prince, who is a fantastic guy, to round it up to around 1 trillion. I think they will, because we have been very good to them,” he said, referring to Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia’s state media outlet, the Saudi Press Agency, on Thursday published details of a call between the Crown Prince and Trump, during which the de facto Saudi leader congratulated his American counterpart on his inauguration and the two discussed bilateral relations.
Bin Salman told Trump that he hoped the incoming administration’s planned reforms would “create unprecedented economic prosperity” and that “the kingdom seeks to benefit from the opportunities available for partnership and investment,” according to a translation of the report by from Google.
The Crown Prince expressed “the kingdom’s desire to expand its investments and trade relations with the United States over the next four years to the tune of $600 billion, which is expected to increase if additional opportunities present themselves,” according to the Saudi report.
The news came a few days after Trump suggested Monday that the first foreign trip of his new term could be to Saudi Arabia, as it was after his first ascension to the presidency in 2017. But that would also come at a price, he suggested. .
“The first trip abroad has normally been with the United Kingdom, but… I did it with Saudi Arabia last time because they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of our products,” Trump told reporters from the White House. , in comments reported by the Associated Press. “If Saudi Arabia wanted to buy another $450 billion or $500 (we’ll increase it for all the inflation), I think it would probably go.”
Trump and the Saudi crown prince developed a notoriously warm relationship, although it was damaged by the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and by Trump’s threats against OPEC, demands that the kingdom pump more oil to lower global oil prices. raw.
Trump’s re-election to the presidency has been followed by a series of investment promises from foreign countries and companies, including a pledge to Softbank’s Masayoshi Son to commit $100 billion to American artificial intelligence and dating center projects, and a planned $20 billion investment by UAE real estate company Damac invest in data centers in the US
