RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – As the world grapples with shifting global power dynamics, a leaked document revealing a heated disagreement between U.S. and Saudi Arabia underscores the growing complexities.
The document, shared on the Discord messaging platform last fall, an revealed by Washington Post on Friday, June 9, 2023, unveils a threat from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to radically change the decades-long U.S.-Saudi relationship in response to U.S. threats of retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s oil production cuts.
While President Biden publicly vowed to impose “consequences” on Saudi Arabia for slashing oil production, the Crown Prince asserted in private that any such action would result in “major economic consequences for Washington,” according to the leaked document.
These tensions have arisen amid evolving geopolitical realities, with the U.S. reassessing its interests as the world’s largest oil producer and China increasingly eyeing the Middle East. Critics suggest this discord marks a dramatic shift in a relationship previously premised on oil-for-security.
The U.S. intelligence document’s leak through Discord was part of an extensive release of highly sensitive national security materials. The nature of how the Crown Prince’s threat was relayed to U.S. officials remains obscured.
In a statement, a spokesperson with the National Security Council denied knowledge of the threats, advising caution when interpreting such documents as they often represent a singular moment in time.
Despite the discord revealed by the leak, recent diplomacy suggests efforts to maintain ties between the two nations.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to the Kingdom saw a “candid, open” conversation with the Crown Prince, discussing a gamut of issues including normalization efforts between Israel and Saudi Arabia, human rights, and conflicts in Yemen and Sudan.
Yet, the elephant in the room remains: China. The U.S. views Beijing as its top economic and security competitor, with the latter making significant inroads in traditional U.S. partnerships in the Middle East.
As the U.S. and China jostle for influence, the Crown Prince’s comments serve as a reminder that Saudi Arabia has other potential allies.
In a not-so-subtle nod towards this, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister pointed out that while Riyadh would welcome U.S. support in building its civilian nuclear program, “there are others that are bidding.”
The document leak has far-reaching implications, drawing attention not just to the intricate dance of U.S.-Saudi diplomacy, but also the broader geopolitical landscape where the U.S.-China rivalry increasingly sets the stage.
The ongoing narrative of U.S.-Saudi relations now plays out against this backdrop, with each move resonating beyond the immediate players.
