The relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia is getting worse.
The ruler of Saudi Arabia is trying to assert himself.
The Biden administration was humiliated by the cancellation of the oil deal.
The state of relations between the US and Saudi Arabia deteriorated this week as a result of a spat between the two countries' diplomats.
For decades, the US has provided arms and security to the Saudis and gained a key strategic partner in a volatile region in return.
An expert told Insider that the change is driven by the Saudi crown prince who is trying to chart a more independent path.
The CEO of Gulf State Analytics said that Saudi Arabia is determined to assert its independence.
The leadership in Riyadh has been sending signals to Washington that the Kingdom will pursue its own interests as seen by Saudi officials.
Saudi Arabia joined Russia and other oil rich nations in announcing a steep cut in production.
This was the opposite of requests from the Biden administration to increase oil production in order to bring down US inflation and deprive Russia of revenue.
According to a report in The New York Times, US officials thought they had secured a deal with Saudi Arabia and were surprised when it didn't happen.
President Joe Biden has sought to build bridges with the Saudis and build an international coalition against Russia.
Biden walked back a campaign pledge to make Saudi Arabia a pariah when he visited the crown prince in July.
The Saudi decision to cut oil production was done in order to undermine Biden's political position at home and abroad, according to a former US diplomat.
Democrats are vulnerable to criticism from Republicans over inflation in the upcoming elections.
According to the analysts, Crown Prince Mohammed thinks that by drawing closer to Russia and China, there will be more leverage internationally.
Both the crown prince and Putin are authoritarian and obsessed with crushing domestic opposition.
According to reports, it's more than just geopolitics that is drawing Americans and Saudis apart.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the crown prince made fun of President Biden's gaffes and questioned his mental acuity.
Biden has taken a stand against the assassination of the Saudi dissident, who was murdered and dismembered in Istanbul by agents, an operation US intelligence has said was ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed.
In 2020, Biden promised to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" over the murder in order to appeal to the Democrats.
They took a lot of offense to that rhetoric. Saudi officials' view on Biden's presidency has been influenced by negative sentiment.
The crown prince preferred his transactional style and would prefer Donald Trump to be the president.
A high-profile golf tournament at Trump's resorts was funded by the Saudis.
During his presidency, Trump didn't offer a lot of resistance over the killing of the journalist.
His hardline stance against Iran, Saudi Arabia's key regional foe, was aligned with Saudi interests, unlike Biden's policy of trying to revive the nuclear dear which the Obama White House struck with Iran.
The US and Saudis have much to lose from a worsening of the alliance despite the cooling of the relationship under Biden.
While the US wants the Saudis to keep oil prices low, the Saudis still rely on US weapons and security guarantees.
The bilateral relationship between Washington and Riyadh has become less friendly due to shared interests.
Business Insider has an article on it.
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