On Tuesday, President Joe Biden issued a warning to Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ announced last week it would cut oil production despite U.S. objections. Biden said “there will be consequences” for Saudi Arabia.
OPEC+, a group of 23 oil-exporting countries led by Saudi Arabia, decided to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. In response, the Biden administration announced it is reevaluating its relationship with Saudi Arabia.
White House officials say this cut will line the pockets of Russia, another OPEC+ member. They say it will increase gas prices, consequently boosting Russia’s oil revenue.
“They are helping and aligning with a murderous, brutal war criminal, Vladimir Putin,” claimed Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-NY).
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby suggested that Biden believes “it’s time to take another look at this relationship and makes sure that it’s serving our national security interests.”
Blumenthal, along with Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), introduced legislation that would immediately pause all U.S. sales of arms, spare and repair parts, support services, and logistical support to Saudi Arabia for one year.
“We cannot continue selling highly sensitive arms technology to a nation aligned with an abhorrent terrorist adversary,” Blumenthal said.
Khanna said, “Saudi Arabia’s disastrous decision to slash oil production by two million barrels a day makes it clear that Riyadh is seeking to harm the U.S. and reaffirms the need to reassess the U.S.-Saudi relationship.
“There is no reason for the U.S. to kowtow to a regime that has massacred countless civilians in Yemen, hacked to death a Washington-based journalist, and is now extorting Americans at the pump,” he continued.
Biden has not endorsed this legislation but did say he would consult with Congress moving forward.
“There’s going to be some consequences for what they’ve done, with Russia,” Biden said. “I’m not going to get into what I consider and what I have in mind. But there will be—there will be consequences.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration would conduct a policy review and closely watch the situation “over the coming weeks and months.” Some reports suggest the administration may be worried about the effect on the midterm elections of increased gas prices, after Biden touted decreases from the never before seen high of over $5 per gallon national average of mid-June.
OPEC+ announced plans for the oil production cut following weeks of U.S. officials lobbying against it, but officials failed to convince Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
While American politicians accuse the Saudis of aligning with Russia, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the government’s decision to cut oil production was “purely economic.”