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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Eight women labourers killed as truck hits tempo on Nagpur-Mumbai expressway
Jalna/Mumbai (PTI): Eight women labourers were killed, and three others were injured after a speeding truck rammed into a tempo on the Nagpur-Mumbai Expressway in Jalna district of Maharashtra on Wednesday evening, police said.
The incident occurred when a group of women was returning home after completing cleaning work on the expressway.
"A total of 11 persons, including the driver, were sitting in the tempo. As the vehicle was about to start, a speeding truck headed towards Mumbai rammed into it from behind at Kadvanchi village," a police official said, adding that seven women died on the spot and another succumbed in the Jalna government hospital.
The tempo was badly mangled, and the bodies were reportedly strewn across the road.
The deceased have been identified as Alkabai Admane (45), Laxmibai Madan (35), Meena Admane (45), Kanchan Admane (50), Tarabai Choudhari (60), Kadubai Madan (55), and Suman Admane (70), all residents of Jalna tehsil.
The identity of the eighth deceased is yet to be confirmed.
Three people are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Police have arrested the truck driver and registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation is underway.
Expressing grief, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the death of eight people is extremely unfortunate, and announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.
Fadnavis paid heartfelt tributes to the deceased and expressed solidarity with their families.
He said in a statement the injured have been immediately admitted to hospitals and the local administration is coordinating relief efforts.
The district collector and the superintendent of police are present at the spot, overseeing the situation, the chief minister added.
Environment Minister and Jalna District Guardian Minister Pankaja Munde has expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
In a condolence message, Munde extended her sympathies to the families of the deceased.
