Obama visits Riyadh as 9/11 accusations against Saudi Arabian officials mount


President Obama arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday as tensions surrounding a confidential 9/11 congressional intelligence report mount both at home and abroad. Obama has urged the release of the documents, which conclude that Saudi officials in the U.S. might have had a hand in engineering the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. However, Saudi officials have vehemently denied such accusations.
Stateside, there is bipartisan support for a bill that would let American citizens sue Saudi Arabia for 9/11, which Obama opposes due to the window it would open for other nations to do the same to the U.S. down the line. "This is not just a bilateral U.S.-Saudi issue. This is a matter of how, generally, the United States approaches our interactions with other countries," Obama said in an interview with CBS.
Obama will reportedly raise concerns about the congressional report with Saudi King Salman, as well as discuss other diplomatic issues including the role of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, in their meetings.
Subscribe to 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.
You can read more about the congressional report and the tricky diplomatic navigating the president will be doing in Riyadh in The New York Times.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
How developed was Iran's nuclear program and what's left now?
Today's Big Question Israel and the United States have said different things about Iran's capabilities
-
The downsides of a 'forgotten' 401(k) and how to find it
the explainer Don't leave your old retirement plan behind
-
AI chatbots are leading some to psychosis
The explainer The technology may be fueling delusions
-
Judges order release of 2 high-profile migrants
Speed Read Kilmar Ábrego García is back in the US and Mahmoud Khalil is allowed to go home — for now
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county