Your Trusted Source for National Security News & Analysis

October 8th, 2024 | 10:40 PM ET

Yemen Quagmire Casts a Shadow Over Trump Trip to Saudi Arabia

Tweet
Share
Pin
Share
0 Shares
Posted: May 19th, 2017

By Eric Pelofsky

Eric Pelofsky is a visiting fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for North Africa and Yemen at the National Security Council from 2014 to 2017.

President Donald Trump’s first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia is aimed at re-ordering America’s approach to the Middle East and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s centrality to U.S. policy.  The Saudi Arabia that Trump will see is in the midst of a nationwide effort to transform itself economically and socially.  He will also have a front row seat to the competition to succeed current Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud.  Yet, the growing quagmire in neighboring Yemen could disrupt all of this, upending everything in its path. 

Trump’s visit to the Kingdom – the twelfth trip by a U.S. president since World War II – will likely be marked by a massive arms deal, a pledge to invest billions of Saudi money in the United States, renewed outside-in efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and paeans to parallel coalitions fighting terrorists.  The visit will also highlight Saudi Arabia’s conflict with Iran, the transformational Vision 2030, U.S.-Saudi energy deals, and defense modernization. 

Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member.

Sign Up Log In

Categorized as:Reporting Tech/CyberTagged with:

Related Articles

Search

Close