Special Report: Trump told Saudi: Cut oil supply or lose U.S. military support (2020)

[TomCADem]

Evan as Tump and Republicans were rolling back fuel efficiency standard and encourage Americans to buy gas guzzlers due to cheap oil, Trump was also pressuring Middle East countries to roll back oil production.

It is Al ost as if Republicans were trying to make the US even more dependent on oil importers such as Russia.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil-trump-saudi-specialreport/special-report-trump-told-saudi-cut-oil-supply-or-lose-u-s-military-support-sources-idUSKBN22C1V4

In an April 2 phone call, Trump told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that unless the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) started cutting oil production, he would be powerless to stop lawmakers from passing legislation to withdraw U.S. troops from the kingdom, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The threat to upend a 75-year strategic alliance, which has not been previously reported, was central to the U.S. pressure campaign that led to a landmark global deal to slash oil supply as demand collapsed in the coronavirus pandemic - scoring a diplomatic victory for the White House.

Trump delivered the message to the crown prince 10 days before the announcement of production cuts. The kingdom’s de facto leader was so taken aback by the threat that he ordered his aides out of the room so he could continue the discussion in private, according to a U.S. source who was briefed on the discussion by senior administration officials.

The effort illustrated Trump’s strong desire to protect the U.S. oil industry from a historic price meltdown as governments shut down economies worldwide to fight the virus. It also reflected a telling reversal of Trump’s longstanding criticism of the oil cartel, which he has blasted for raising energy costs for Americans with supply cuts that usually lead to higher gasoline prices. Now, Trump was asking OPEC to slash output.

[SunSeeker]

1. K & R for exposure.

[SheltieLover]

2. Kicking for visibility

[quakerboy]

3. It has always been my contention

That if you take every single action Trump took as president, and look at it through a lens of "how does this effect russia".. 9 times out of ten he picked the option that helped Russia (Or more accurately, putin and his aims)

[Tickle]

4. A barrel of oil was

going down to $15. To much oil was being pumped according to the article

[malaise]

5. The bigger questions

On whose behalf was this done and how did he personally benefit?

[uponit7771]

8. +1, of course he had some 3rd party invest in the market for him seeing the decreased supply

... would've increased the BRENT.

STRAIT UP TRAITOR

[Achilleaze]

6. Republicans screwing Americans

as usual

[uponit7771]

7. SUCH ... A ... FUCKIN ... TRAITOR !!!

[live love laugh]

9. The moment he left office prices climbed. nt

[TomCADem]

10. Which as the stories showed, was the plan.

If Trump was President, he would have blamed the conflict, then would work out a deal to sell out the “corrupt” Ukrainians in return for a mild reduction in oil prices by buying oil from the liberating Russians. This is why Republicans have been pushing pro-Russian talking points, because the planned rise in oil prices was seen as win win to benefit Russia and oil companies. The biggest risk to this scheme was that the Saudi’s would sell more oil in response, which Trump negotiated to prevent while also trying to undermine the Iran peace deal negotiated under President Obama.

[live love laugh]

12. My observation was TFGs price drops coincided with Kashoggi's demise.

I think he “negotiated” that with the Saudis as he covered/apologized for them instead of holding them accountable.

ETA: Kashoggi may not have been the entire reason but I think it played a part.

[dalton99a]

11. Kick