Behind Closed Doors: The Heated Trump-MBS Clash Over Israel and F-35s

It's always fascinating, isn't it, to peel back the layers and get a glimpse into those high-stakes, behind-closed-doors diplomatic encounters? Well, imagine a specific meeting back in November 2019, one that apparently became quite intense between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, often known as MBS. The air, it seems, was thick with tension, not just ambition.

The core of the discussion, as reported by the Wall Street Journal and various outlets at the time, revolved around a very sensitive issue: President Trump's strong push for Saudi Arabia to normalize its relations with Israel. This was a significant diplomatic initiative for the Trump administration, laying groundwork, in a sense, for what would later become the Abraham Accords. But, you know, getting Saudi Arabia on board was always going to be a much bigger lift than some of the other nations.

Now, here's where it gets particularly interesting. To sweeten the deal, Trump wasn't shy about putting a substantial incentive on the table: the promise of advanced F-35 fighter jets. For any nation, securing such cutting-edge military technology is a massive strategic advantage, a real game-changer. You'd think that would be enough to get almost anyone to at least lean forward in their seat, wouldn't you?

But MBS, apparently, wasn't swayed by the allure of the F-35s. The meeting, sources indicated, turned quite heated, largely because MBS stood firm. He pushed back, conveying that Saudi Arabia felt it had already given quite a bit on the Palestinian front. The message was clear: there wasn't much more, if anything, they were prepared to concede for normalization at that juncture, even with those coveted jets in play. It really underscores the deep historical and emotional complexities tied to the Israeli-Palestinian issue for the Kingdom.

It’s a powerful reminder that even with the most powerful incentives, and amidst significant diplomatic pressure, some lines are harder to cross than others. This particular encounter, despite its intensity and Trump's direct approach, ultimately highlighted Saudi Arabia's steadfast position on the Palestinian cause, at least in that moment. The F-35s, it seems, just weren't enough to tip the scales.