Trump Celebrates LIV Golf Tournament at Property As Saudis Back Away From Israel, U.S.

Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto via AP

Former President Donald Trump seemed blissfully unaware of recent events when he touted a LIV Golf Team Championship that will continue at Trump National Doral in Florida on Friday.

“BIG LIV FINALS TODAY AT DORAL. ENJOY!!!” declared Trump on Truth Social.

The former president’s affinity for the Saudi-owned league has long been the subject of criticism. While Trump has praised LIV for being comprised of “phenomenal people” with “great spirit” and “unlimited money,” some have argued that his support of the league constitutes a slap in the face to the families of those killed during the 9/11 terror attacks and an endorsement of the Saudi regime’s human rights abuses.

Trump has dismissed those critics by claiming that “We have human rights issues in this country, too,” and lamenting that “Nobody’s gotten to the bottom of 9/11.”

Trump’s promotion of LIV now is particularly notable given Saudi Arabia’s behavior in the aftermath of Hamas’ brutal attack in southern Israel. While the Saudis had been working on normalizing relations with the world’s only Jewish-majority state at the urging of the United States, they responded to the murder of over a thousand Israelis earlier this month by condemning Israel rather than the terrorists responsible for it.

“The Kingdom recalls its repeated warning of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities,” declared the Saudi foreign ministry in a statement on the day of the attack.

#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely following the developments of the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a high level of violence on several fronts there. pic.twitter.com/KEFsNB5ZVb

— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) October 7, 2023

According to Reuters, the Saudis are backing away from Israel and the U.S. as a result of the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip:

Saudi Arabia is putting U.S.-backed plans to normalise ties with Israel on ice, two sources familiar with Riyadh’s thinking said, signalling a rapid rethinking of its foreign policy priorities as war escalates between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas.

The conflict has also pushed the kingdom to engage with Iran. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took his first phone call from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as Riyadh tries to prevent a broader surge in violence across the region.

“The two sources told Reuters there would be a delay in the U.S.-backed talks on normalization with Israel that was a key step for the kingdom to secure what Riyadh considers the real prize of a U.S. defense pact in exchange,” reads the report.