Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) threatened to impose high economic costs on Washington last year when U.S. President Joe Biden warned of "consequences" to Riyadh over its decision to slash oil production, a new classified document revealed.
What Happened: As per the document, the crown prince said "he will not deal with the U.S. administration anymore" and promised "major economic consequences for Washington," reported The Washington Post.
While the Saudi government maintained a public diplomatic stance, the 37-year-old de facto ruler privately threatened to reassess the Middle Eastern nation's relationship with Washington and inflict substantial economic consequences on the U.S. if it took retaliatory measures against the oil production cuts.
Why It Matters: Fast forward eight months, Biden has not taken any action against Riyadh and Salman continues to maintain his high-level talks with key U.S. officials. The Saudi ruler met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jiddah just days ago.
Also Read: How To Invest In Oil
The intelligence was part of a series of secret documents that were shared online on Discord, purportedly by Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira. He was arrested in April and charged in relation to the leak of sensitive U.S. documents. The publication obtained a copy from one of Teixeira's online friends.
An anonymous spokesperson with the National Security Council told the publication, "We are not aware of such threats by Saudi Arabia."
"In general, such documents often represent only one snapshot of a moment in time and cannot possibly offer the full picture," the official said, adding, "The United States continues to collaborate with Saudi Arabia, an important partner in the region, to advance our mutual interests and a common vision for a more secure, stable, and prosperous region, interconnected with the world."
Photo via Kremlin on Wikimedia Commons
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