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.
-
September 14 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include RFK Jr on the hook, the destruction of discourse, and more
-
Air strikes in the Caribbean: Trump’s murky narco-war
Talking Point Drug cartels ‘don’t follow Marquess of Queensberry Rules’, but US military air strikes on speedboats rely on strained interpretation of ‘invasion’
-
Crossword: September 14, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Koreans detained in US Hyundai raid return home
Speed Read Over 300 Koreans were detained at the plant last week
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
Why are Trump's health rumors about more than just presidential fitness?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Extended absences and unexplained bruises have raised concerns about both his well-being and his administration's transparency
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
The Secret Service is reportedly facing a massive sniper shortage
The Explainer The agency is reportedly dealing with a 73% shortage
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines