An escalating public dispute over oil between the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia risks causing irreparable harm to U.S. relations with the crucial Mideast partner, according to current and former government officials briefed on the feud.
Dueling statements from Washington and Riyadh in recent days over last week’s OPEC+ decision to cut production underscore just how badly the U.S.-Saudi relationship has deteriorated under President Joe Biden, with each side accusing the other of acting in bad faith.
Saudi Arabia said the cuts were an attempt to ease market volatility, underscoring that relations with the U.S. must be built on trust. A White House statement on Thursday sneered what it called Saudi Arabia’s attempt to “spin or deflect.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed Biden’s warnings that the decision would have “consequences.”
