- During a meeting in Saudi Arabia, Biden fist bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), which was widely condemned.
- The CIA has reported that the Saudi Prince is responsible for ordering the shocking death of a Washington Post columnist in 2018.
- Biden previously stated he would not meet with MBS but claimed this meeting was designed to "reorient" relations.
In the midst of global oil shortages, Biden met with Saudi leaders on July 15th, hoping to reach an agreement to release more oil.
Upon arrival Biden met MBS with a friendly fist bump which generated criticism from both sides of the aisle.
MBS is generally known to be responsible for the death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashogg in a visit to Turkey in 2018.
Biden attempted to clear up criticisms by noting his record on human rights and stating that the purpose of the meeting was to "reorient" relations in a Washington Post op-ed.
The president was accused of not holding MBS responsible for human rights violations and the columnist's death, especially after campaigning on making the Saudis "pay the price and make them in fact the pariah that they are."
The president claims to have been tough on the Saudi Prince during the meeting.
President Biden on his meeting with Mohammed bin Salman
With the respect to the murder of Khashoggi, I raised it at the top of the meeting, making it clear what I thought of it at the time, and what I think of it now. I made my view crystal clear. I said very straightforwardly, for an American president. To be silent on the issue of human rights is inconsistent or inconsistent with who we are and who I am.
Who Cares?
From handshakes to fist bumps, every part of a US president's behavior will be scrutinized by the media and other nations.
Who the president agrees to meet with and how he greets them sends a message to the rest of the world.
Senator Bernie Sanders ran against Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential democratic primaries. He generally speaks for the socialist wing of the democratic party.
Senator Bernie Sanders on President Biden's meeting with Mohammed bin Salman
You have the leader of that country who was involved in the murder of a Washington Post journalist. I don't think that that type of government should be rewarded with a visit by the president of the United States... If this country believes in anything, we believe in human rights, we believe in democracy. I just don’t believe we should be maintaining a warm relationship with a dictatorship like that.
Why meet with Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia controls 15% of the world's proven oil reserves. It is the world's largest crude oil exporter and has the world's largest crude oil production capacity.
- With midterms approaching in November, Biden hopes to ease gas prices by improving relations with the Saudis.
The greatest predictor of election results is the economy and a vital part of that is the price of gas. Day-to-day costs like gas send people to the polls.
Biden knows this and is desperate to lower prices. After releasing a few millions gallons of oil from the strategic oil reserves and calling for a pause in the federal gas tax, gas prices have not eased very much.
By meeting directly with Saudi leaders, Biden hopes to lower gas prices for Americans day-to-day. Whether the Saudis have enough incentive to lower prices remains to be seen. No official deal has been announced.