Biden says there will be 'consequences' for Saudi Arabia's decision to cut oil output
President Biden is planning to reevaluate the U.S.' relationship with Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ announced it would cut oil production targets. The Saudi-led coalition, which also includes Russia, announced last week that it would cut its oil output by two million barrels a day, thus driving up prices in the U.S., The Washington Post reports.
Biden has spent extensive time pressing Saudi Arabia to increase oil output given the strain on resources caused by Russia's war on Ukraine. He personally met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a two-hour meeting back in July. OPEC+ made the announcement despite U.S. officials lobbying against the decision. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the decision was considered from a purely economic standpoint and was made unanimously by the coalition's member states, Reuters reports.
But the move was viewed as a direct shot at the president, thus pushing Congress to suggest a reconsideration of the Saudi Arabia-U.S. relationship, the Post continues. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for the U.S. to freeze any and all cooperation with Saudi Arabia, reports Reuters.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A reevaluation has yet to occur, said National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby; however, Biden is "willing to discuss this relationship with members of Congress."
"There's going to be some consequences for what they've done, with Russia," Biden told CNN Tuesday. "I'm not going to get into what I'd consider and what I have in mind. But there will be ... consequences."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Political cartoons for November 29Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include Kash Patel's travel perks, believing in Congress, and more
-
Nigel Farage: was he a teenage racist?Talking Point Farage’s denials have been ‘slippery’, but should claims from Reform leader’s schooldays be on the news agenda?
-
Pushing for peace: is Trump appeasing Moscow?In Depth European leaders succeeded in bringing themselves in from the cold and softening Moscow’s terms, but Kyiv still faces an unenviable choice
-
Memo signals Trump review of 233k refugeesSpeed Read The memo also ordered all green card applications for the refugees to be halted
-
‘Latinos bring a wealth of knowledge and cultural connection to the ocean’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
US, Kyiv report progress on shifting Ukraine peace planSpeed Read The deal ‘must fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty,’ the countries said
-
US government shutdown: why the Democrats ‘caved’In the Spotlight The recent stalemate in Congress could soon be ‘overshadowed by more enduring public perceptions’
-
Judge halts Trump’s DC Guard deploymentSpeed Read The Trump administration has ‘infringed upon the District’s right to govern itself,’ the judge ruled
-
Trump accuses Democrats of sedition meriting ‘death’Speed Read The president called for Democratic lawmakers to be arrested for urging the military to refuse illegal orders
-
‘The money to fix this problem already exists’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
‘It’s ironic in so many ways’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
