CNN: Biden and His Top Officials Slammed Trump's Lack of Action Against Saudi Arabia, MBS in Years Before Taking Office

CNN: Biden and His Top Officials Slammed Trump’s Lack of Action Against Saudi Arabia, MBS in Years Before Taking Office

After years of harsh criticism from Biden and his top officials on the Trump administration’s “inaction” against Saudia Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Biden has failed to uphold his own rhetoric.

March 2, 2021
CNN: Biden and His Top Officials Slammed Trump’s Lack of Action Against Saudi Arabia, MBS in Years Before Taking Office

In case you missed it, CNN published a devastating article Tuesday highlighting President Biden’s hypocrisy regarding his response to the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

After years of harsh criticism from Biden and his top officials on the Trump administration’s “inaction” against Saudia Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Biden has failed to uphold his own rhetoric.

“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday announced visa restrictions that affected 76 Saudis believed to be involved in harassing activists and journalists, but he did not announce any measures against the crown prince. And while the Biden administration has taken more steps than the Trump administration to punish Saudi actors for their role in Khashoggi’s death, the actions of key members of the Biden administration differ from the sharp criticism they offered before they took office.” – CNN

The report highlights past statements made by several members of the Biden administration — including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken — calling for “accountability” and “consequences” in light of Khashoggi’s death.

“Two years after Khashoggi was murdered on October 2, 2018, Biden released a statement through his campaign calling for ‘accountability,’ and saying his administration would ‘reassess our relationship with the Kingdom.’ He also vowed he would punish senior Saudi leaders in a way the Trump administration did not.

“‘There’s very little social redeeming value in the present government in Saudi Arabia,’ Biden said in a 2019 Democratic debate. ‘They have to be held accountable.'” – CNN

Now, the Biden administration has backtracked from their campaign rhetoric, claiming that the softer approach was taken to ensure they can “maintain a relationship” with Saudi Arabia moving forward.

Bottom line: This is just one more example of campaign promises that President Biden has failed to uphold since taking office.