The White House is downplaying any intrigue over Saudi Arabia’s announcement that its new monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, would not be attending meetings at the White House with President Obama or a summit at Camp David this week.
“There has been some speculation that this change in travel plans was an attempt to send a message to the United States,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Monday. “If so, that message was not received.”
All of the messages that U.S. diplomats have heard from the Saudis in recent days and weeks has been positive, Earnest stressed, and public statements from Saudi officials over the weekend indicate no animus behind the decision for the king to forego the trip.
“We’re confident we will have the right people around the table to attend the meetings at Camp David,” he added. “I would refer you to [the king’s] office for more information about his change in travel plans.”
Saudi Arabia on Sunday announced that King Salman would not be traveling to Washington this week, and the New York Times reported that his absence is an apparent signal of its continued displeasure with the administration over United States relations with Iran.
Instead, the state-run Saudi Press Agency, announced that the king planned to send Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the Saudi interior minister, and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the defense minister. The agency said the Camp David meeting overlaps with a five-day cease fire with Yemen to allow for shipments of humanitarian aid, the country’s immediate national security focus right now.
The White House, as recently as Friday, had planned on King Salman participating in the meeting.
In addition to the crown prince, the White House on Monday said Saudi Arabia plans to send the king’s son and the country’s defense minister, deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Camp David talks.
“Saudi Arabia will be well-represented at the meeting,” Earnest said. “… Having the crown prince and the deputy crown prince, both of whom have leadership responsibilities for Saudi Arabia, gives us confidence that we have the right people at the table.
