Saudi Arabia Bet Big on Trump and Lost
Saudi Arabia's global influence is being severely tested as the Middle East descends into chaos. The country's security guarantor, the United States, has failed to put out the fire and appears uninterested in doing so.
The traditional deal between the US and Saudi Arabia - where US military dominance provides stability in exchange for hosting bases and cooperating on counterterrorism - has been broken by US President Donald Trump's attack on Iran. This has left Riyadh without a security patron, exposed to threats from all directions.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have blockaded Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, causing disruptions to oil exports. The East-West pipeline, which was supposed to be a contingency plan for such scenarios, has been shut down after an Iran-backed militia fired drones at it.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly called Trump twice to ask for military action against the Houthis, but the White House declined. When asked about Yemen, Trump said that the Houthis 'don't want to fight with us' and are letting most ships through, a statement that may be fantasy or an actual conversation where he took the Houthis at their word.