Bipartisan questions raised about U.S.-Saudi relationship while Trump appears committed to MBS in wake of shooting
The shooting — which is now being considered an act of terrorism — that resulted in three deaths at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday has placed the United States' relationship with Saudi Arabia under a microscope.
The suspected shooter, identified as Saudi Royal Air Force 2nd Lt. Mohammad Saeed Alshamrani, was an aviation student at the base. The killing has led some people to question whether the partnership should continue, especially considering there have long been doubts about the alliance for a variety of reasons, most notably accusations of human rights abuses in Yemen and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
But President Trump seems committed to U.S. policy toward Saudi Arabia, especially as his administration remains wary of Iran's influence in the Middle East. Trump said he spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman after the shooting, who offered his condolences to family and friends of the deceased. There didn't, however, seem to be much in the way of rethinking the alliance.
That doesn't mean others haven't. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who is aiming to challenge Trump as the next Democratic nominee, called the U.S. partnership with Saudi Arabia "unacceptable."
"The fact that this president seems, in a very transactional way, doubling down on (the U.S.-Saudi relationship), and telling us it's because of just financial interests, is unacceptable," Sen. Cory Booker says in light of the Pensacola naval base shooting https://t.co/xFq8aFsaKL pic.twitter.com/SHikA0aSNA
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 8, 2019
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a supporter of Trump, said he was assured by Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud that Saudi Arabia would not interfere with the investigation into the matter, unless requested. But he still said that Friday's shooting "has to inform" the U.S.-Saudi relationship.
"There is a special kind of grief when the bravest, most patriotic Americans are putting themselves in harms way to train people from other countries ... and then they kill us."
Rep. Gaetz says shooting at naval base "has to inform" U.S.-Saudi relations. https://t.co/xFq8aFsaKL pic.twitter.com/1HXQJwQ3Js— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 8, 2019
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