President Obama will meet with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Friday afternoon in the Oval Office as part of the prince’s three-day charm offensive aimed at promoting economic engagement with the United States during a year marked by growing tensions between the two countries.
White House deputy press secretary Eric Schultz confirmed the meeting Thursday to reporters traveling with the Obama to Orlando. Schultz said he hoped the meeting would provide an opportunity for Obama and bin Salman to discuss the U.S.-led coalition fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the civil war in Yemen.
“The visit is an extension of a request the president had in Riyadh” during his visit with King Salman in late April, Schultz said.
The prince will meet with the White House Economic Council Thursday afternoon.
Obama and Salman and have clashed repeatedly over the last few years over the White House negotiation with Iran on the nuclear deal, the wars in Yemen and Syria, and the battle against the Islamic State.
After Obama’s visit to Riyadh in April, the White House said they two leaders had a two-and-a-half hour meeting that gave them the chance to “really clear the air.”
Salman skipped a visit last year in May to Camp David when Obama hosted the leaders of U.S. Persian Gulf allies in what diplomats deemed a snub.
