Trump takes dig at Saudi Crown Prince, says he was ‘kissing my a**’
Washington: US President Donald Trump has claimed that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was effectively “kissing my a**”, while speaking about the current state of ties between Washington and Riyadh.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Florida, Trump described what he said was a conversation with the Saudi leader. He said the crown prince had not expected the United States to make a strong comeback under his leadership.
“He didn’t think this was going to happen... he didn’t think he’d be kissing my a**... he thought it’d be just another American president that was a loser... but now he has to be nice to me,” Trump said, as reported by The Wire.
Despite the remark, Trump also praised Mohammed bin Salman, calling him “a fantastic man” and “a warrior”. He added that Saudi Arabia could be proud of his leadership.
The comments come at a time when the United States and Israel are involved in a military campaign against Iran, a conflict that has reshaped regional equations.
According to a report by The New York Times, the Saudi crown prince has been in touch with Trump through private conversations. The report said he urged the US to continue the war, calling it a “historic opportunity” to weaken Iran’s government.
The report, citing people familiar with the discussions, said the Saudi leadership has pushed for stronger action, including possible strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
However, Saudi Arabia has publicly denied seeking a prolonged war. It has maintained that it supports a peaceful resolution while focusing on defending itself from Iranian attacks.
The conflict began on February 28 after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran. In response, Iran carried out attacks on Israel and also targeted US bases in the Gulf region.
The situation has led to instability across the Middle East and has affected global oil markets.
Even as Trump criticised the Saudi crown prince in his speech, he also underlined support from Gulf countries. He said Saudi Arabia, along with Qatar and the UAE, stood firmly with the US during the conflict, even more than NATO allies.
While the US has projected strong backing from Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia appears to be balancing its approach, engaging privately on strategy while publicly calling for de-escalation.
At the same time, concerns remain over the risks of a prolonged war. Analysts and officials have warned that continued conflict could expose Saudi Arabia to Iranian retaliation, especially targeting oil infrastructure, and could lead to economic instability.
Trump has also been pushing for stronger economic and diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel under the Abraham Accords, but the ongoing war has added new uncertainty to these efforts.
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Allahabad HC orders police protection to married couple apprehending 'honour killing'
Prayagraj (PTI): The Allahabad High Court has granted protection to a married couple who expressed fear that they may be killed by the woman's family.
The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena on March 25.
"No individual can make an 'honour issue' out of a consenting adult marrying a person of their own choice. It is the state's duty to protect the life, limb, and property of such persons even against their own family members," the bench said.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Prachi Agrawal and her partner, who sought relief in connection with an FIR filed under Section 87 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for kidnapping, and abducting or inducing a woman to compel her marriage.
The couple submitted that they married at an Arya Samaj temple and possessed a marriage registration certificate issued under the Uttar Pradesh Marriage Registration Rules, 2017.
The petitioners alleged that the woman's family members were averse to their marriage and lodged a bogus FIR against them.
The couple further submitted a joint affidavit expressing apprehension of an honour killing by the woman's family.
The court said that a prima facie case was made out and issued notice to the private respondent and granted two weeks to file a counter-affidavit.
Meanwhile, as an interim measure, the court granted the petitioners protection from arrest.
The court also explicitly ordered the woman's family members and relatives not to harm the petitioners, enter their matrimonial home, or establish contact with them directly or through any electronic means.
The bench directed the Aligarh senior superintendent of police to ensure that no harm comes to the couple and posted the matter for hearing on April 8.
