President Biden struggled to pronounce the name of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while speaking at the G20 economic summit in New Dehli.
“And I particularly wanna thank Prime Minister Modi and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salam,” Biden said. “Excuse me, Mohammed bin Salam, and the president Van von der Leyen, of the European Commission,” he continued, failing to pronounce the Saudi leader’s name in two attempts.
“And since he’s not speaking today, uh, I wanted to uh — well maybe he is speaking today, I had a note he wasn’t speaking. Anyway, I’m gonna stop there,” the president mumbled.
BIDEN at the G20: "…and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salam, excuse me, Mohammed bin Salman … and since he’s not speaking today, I wanted to — well maybe he is speaking today. I had a note he wasn’t speaking. Any rate, I’m gonna stop there." pic.twitter.com/YXjkywusfo
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 9, 2023
Former President Trump was ruthlessly criticized by Democrats and leftist media outlets for seeking closer ties with Saudi Arabia, with some even calling for his impeachment after the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist who wrote a column for the Washington Post.
On the campaign trail, President Biden echoed those criticisms of Trump and vowed to take a hard line on Saudi Arabia and Mohammed bin Salman’s government. Biden vowed to implement a plan that would make Saudi Arabia “pay the price, and make them in fact the pariah that they are.”
As for the Saudi royal family, Biden said there is “very little social redeeming value in the present government in Saudi Arabia.”
After assuming office, President Biden’s attitude on Saudi Arabia has changed dramatically. The president shook hands with bin Salman in New Dehli over the weekend, roughly one year after the two shared an awkward fist bump in their first meeting.
Shockingly, the Biden Administration’s willingness to get along with Saudi Arabia has not generated widespread media criticism and calls for impeachment. “The president’s intention, as is the intention of this government, is to recalibrate our engagement with Saudi Arabia,” former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said ahead of Biden’s first meeting with the crown prince.
Biden, who previously said he'd make Saudi Arabia "the pariah that they are," shares a handshake and a smile with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G20 Summit pic.twitter.com/IVT80mIxGd
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 9, 2023