Trump recently had talk with Saudi Crown Prince: Sources

Former US president Donald Trump recently spoke to Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, their first publicly disclosed conversation since Trump left office in January 2021, according to two people briefed on the discussion who were not authorised to speak publicly about it.

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It was unclear what the two men discussed and whether it was their only conversation since Trump's departure from the White House.

Neither representatives Trump nor an official of the Saudi government responded to quests for comment for But news of their discussion comes at a time when the Biden administration is engaged in delicate negotiations with the Saudis aimed at establishing a lasting peace in the Middle East, building on diplomatic ties between Israel and a number of Arab states forged through the work of the Trump administration.

If US President Joe Biden manages to clinch a trilateral mega deal which would probably include a Saudi-Israeli peace agreement, an Israeli commitment to a two-state solution, a US-Saudi defence treaty and US-Saudi understandings on a civilian nuclear programme in Saudi Arabia - he will need support from two-thirds of senators to ratify the US-Saudi treaty.

Trump, as the presumptive Republican nominee in firm command of his party, could potentially either block any deal or greenlight it for congressional Republicans.

Trump has other reasons to maintain warm relations with Crown Prince Mohammed.