‘They’d Be Wiped Off’: Trump Claims Saudi Arabia, Israel Need His Protection

Trump Says Saudi Arabia, Israel Would Be ‘Wiped Off’ Without His Leadership

Remark came while discussing Saudi ties, Houthi attacks and US role in protecting Riyadh

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Saudi Arabia and Israel would not exist today without the protection provided by the United States under his leadership, saying both countries could have been “wiped off the face of the planet.”

Trump made the remarks in an interview with TIME, conducted at the White House on September 28 and published on October 1. He was asked about his relationship with Saudi Arabia following reports that Riyadh had been unhappy with the US response to attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. 

“I've done a lot for Saudi Arabia. I protect Saudi Arabia. If I weren't president, Saudi Arabia wouldn't be here right now. Neither would Israel. They'd be wiped off the face of the planet,” Trump said.

Why did Trump bring up Saudi Arabia and Israel?

The comments came amid renewed fighting involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. Saudi Arabia has been facing missile and drone attacks from the Houthis, while Riyadh is reportedly preparing a major military offensive aimed at regaining control of strategic areas along Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. 

Trump was specifically asked about reports that he had rejected a Saudi request for direct US participation in bombing the Houthis. Rather than criticising Riyadh, he emphasised his close relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and argued that American protection has been central to Saudi security.

“I like the crown prince. My relationship is very good,” Trump said, while again asserting that Saudi Arabia and Israel would not exist without his leadership. 

Wider Middle East tensions

Trump's comments came against the backdrop of a much broader regional confrontation involving Iran, Israel, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis. Saudi Arabia has recently faced intensified attacks, while the US has continued providing Riyadh with defensive and intelligence support even as Washington has so far declined to directly join a prospective Saudi offensive in Yemen. 

Trump has also continued to portray US military power as a key factor in deterring Iran and protecting American partners in the region. His remarks about Saudi Arabia and Israel therefore formed part of a broader argument about the importance of his administration's military and security role in the Middle East.