Trump touts weapons deals with Saudi Arabia as peace groups accuse US of fuelling kingdom's war on Yemen

'A lot of people are at work' because of Saudi Arabia’s business, Mr Trump says

Donald Trump has bragged about how Saudi Arabia is a “big purchaser” of American armaments as peace groups assert that the weapons the US is selling to the kingdom are being used to kill thousands of innocent people in Yemen.

“A lot of people are at work” because of Saudi Arabia’s business, Mr Trump said while welcoming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to the White House, adding that the kingdom has finalised $12.5bn in purchases of planes, missiles and frigates from US companies.

“I would really have to say the relationship was to put it mildly the relationship was very very strained during the Obama administration, and the relationship now is probably as good as it’s really ever been, and think will probably only get better,” Mr Trump said.

In a dramatic shift from his predecessor Barack Obama, Mr Trump has adopted a pro-Saudi posture, despite what human right organisations have found to be an abysmal record of abuses by the kingdom.

To further demonstrate the countries’ “great friendship”, Mr Trump held up presentation boards showing purchases of US military equipment by Saudi Arabia.

One board titled “12.5 BILLION IN FINALIZED SALES TO SAUDI ARABIA” displayed photos and details of military equipment such as tanks and helicopters that Saudi Arabia has bought from US manufacturers. The other highlighted sales that were still pending.

Citing one purchase for $525m, he told the Crown Prince: “That’s peanuts for you”.

For his part, Prince Mohammed praised Saudi Arabia’s “really deep” relationship with America and said the Saudis are considering investing $400bn in the US.

Neither leader mentioned the kingdom’s intervention in Yemen’s civil war, which peace and conflict resolution organisations have said the US and other countries, including the UK, are fuelling through weapons sales.

“It is disgraceful and beneath the dignity of the president to brag about the profits US weapons contractors made from selling to Saudi Arabia the arms they used to kill thousands of innocent civilians in Yemen,” Ploughshares Fund President Joseph Cirincione told The Independent. “Trump is stoking a regional war in the Middle East and laughing about it.”

Ploughshares is focused on nuclear weapons policy and conflict resolution.

Andrew Smith of the UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade said the arms deal being negotiated between the US and Saudi Arabia “could be used to carry out abuses for years to come”.

“Despite its appalling record, [the kingdom] has been able to count on the uncritical political and military support of successive US presidents,” he said. “Today’s fawning images make it clear that Trump is going to continue this long and shameful tradition.”

On the congressional front, the Senate is due to vote on ending US military involvement in Yemen.