U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a proclamation renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, while flying over the gulf aboard Air Force One en route to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl, February 9, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
US Senator Bernie Sanders has criticized President Donald Trump’s close ties with Gulf countries.
He said their immense wealth is the real reason behind Trump’s affinity for the region’s leadership.
In a post shared on X on Saturday, Sanders questioned why Trump “loves” the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, before answering that they are “dictatorships run by the richest families on earth.”
The independent senator from Vermont mentioned the estimated wealth of the ruling families, putting the UAE royal family’s fortune at $336 billion, Saudi Arabia’s royal family at $214 billion, and Qatar’s ruling family at $200 billion.
Sanders ended the post by writing, “Billionaire dictators: Trump’s best friends.”
The remarks add to Sanders’ long-running criticism of Trump’s foreign policy and his relationships with Gulf leaders.
Trump has repeatedly defended his engagement with the Gulf because of their strategic importance and economic partnerships with the United States. Meanwhile, many commentators on X say he only wants Gulf nations to officially recognize Israel.
Trump recently disclosed negotiating a nuclear agreement with the Saudis but warned the deal is subject to their official recognition of Israel as a legitimate country.
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