Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz has undergone gallbladder removal surgery after his hospitalization this week.
King Salman, 84, was admitted to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Monday because of issues with his gallbladder, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, which reported on Thursday that the king had the organ removed and was recovering from the successful surgery.
Saudi Arabia also announced that King Salman’s son and heir apparent, 34-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, spoke with President Trump on Thursday following his father’s surgery.
Trump wished the king a “speedy recovery” and also discussed issues of mutual interest and the “latest developments at the regional and international levels,” according to the Saudi Press Agency. The Washington Examiner reached out to the White House for details about the phone call.
The aging king, who has ruled Saudi Arabia since 2015, will remain at the hospital for an unspecified period of time as part of his treatment plan, Saudi officials said. When King Salman dies, he is set to be replaced by the crown prince, who is also known by the acronym MBS.
The crown prince has been credited with initiating modern reforms in Saudi Arabia, including increasing the rights of women, but he has also been criticized internationally for his involvement in the 2018 death of Saudi-dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the ongoing war in Yemen.
