Trump looms large over Biden’s long-shot talks on Israel-Saudi normalization
CNN
When South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham was in Saudi Arabia late last month meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, the country’s young, defacto ruler, the two decided to call up a mutual acquaintance— Donald Trump.
When South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham was in Saudi Arabia late last month meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, the country’s young, defacto ruler, the two decided to call up a mutual acquaintance— Donald Trump. Graham was there to discuss the high-stakes deal the Biden Administration has been working on for more than a year that would normalize diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, two historical rivals who have a mutual interest in isolating Iran. President Joe Biden and his team of envoys have found an unexpected partner in Graham, who has offered to wrangle Republican support for what would be a massive agreement that could also include a US-Saudi defense pact and steps toward a two-state solution for Palestine. Graham has also emerged as a key diplomatic channel with bin Salman, or MBS as he’s known, and says he briefs Biden’s team on his conversations with the powerful crown prince. Sitting together last month, Graham and MBS spoke with Trump for roughly five minutes, two people familiar with the call told CNN. The conversation was friendly and consisted mostly of exchanging pleasantries and casual chatter about the US presidential election. At one point, Trump touted his poll numbers, one of the people said. Not once did the normalization deal come up, both sources said. The call encapsulates how Trump looms over an agreement that US, Israeli and Saudi officials all see as vital to achieving lasting stability in the Middle East. While the former president stays aware of the talks, he is not engaged, people familiar with the matter say.
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