Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Person behind shooting operation at Allenby Crossing is a Jordanian Army soldier.
Israeli media citing Emergency Services: Both wounded in Allenby shooting operation now dead.
Israeli media: One soldier wounded at Allenby crossing now confirmed killed.
Israeli media: Preliminary reports of shooting operation at Allenby crossing with Jordan.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors one year later: You are healing from your wounds and rising above them. You have successfully passed the test

White House scrambles to defend Biden's upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 7 Jun 2022 07:43
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

After months of deliberation, OPEC+ has agreed to increase oil production this summer, despite rising global energy prices.

  • x
  • White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
    White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

The White House stated on Monday that oil production will be "not the focus" of Biden administration officials' discussions with Saudi Arabia.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday, "I'm saying it's not, it’s not, it's not the focus, stressing that it is "not… on the agenda."

"We don't get involved in any of that," Jean-Pierre said of oil and gas prices.

"That is not the conversations that we have with Saudi Arabia," she stated. "That is not part of our agenda when we have discussions with them."

After months of opposition amid soaring global energy prices, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cartel and its extended group of allied producers known as OPEC+ approved, on Thursday, to increase oil production this summer.

The group announced that output would be increased by 648,000 per day in July and August, a larger-than-expected increase after previously adhering to a more gradual schedule of increased output agreed to last year following cuts made during the pandemic. For months, oil-producing countries have been pumping an additional 432,000 barrels of crude, up from 400,000.

Simultaneously, the Biden administration applauded OPEC+'s decision. The United States has been pressing OPEC+ to take such action as US citizens face record-high gasoline prices, which are driving inflation.

Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre stated that the White House has "no travel to announce today" regarding any potential plans for the president to visit Saudi Arabia.

"But I can assure you that what the president is focused on is first and foremost is how his engagements with foreign leaders advance American interests," she said. "That is that as true with Saudi Arabia than anywhere else than with anyone else, just as he has engaged recently with leaders of ASEAN in Asia."

Related News

Israeli media: US betrayed Qatar, gave green light for attack on Hamas

Pentagon spends $10.8bln on 25 classified weapons to counter China

Jean-Pierre affirmed that there "was a visit in the works." 

The Washington Post and the New York Times both reported last week that Biden would visit Saudi Arabia later this month, despite his recurrent vows to hold the country accountable for human rights violations.

Read more: Saudi Arabia carries out mass execution of 81 people

According to reports, Biden will meet with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, whom US intelligence believes was responsible for the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

  • Murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi
    Murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi

The reported decision came shortly after Saudi Arabia addressed two of Biden's priorities by agreeing to a production hike in oil - which could help tame rocketing US oil inflation.

This comes as clear evidence that the United States’ dependence on oil directly influences its foreign policy, turning a blind eye to its promise to declare the kingdom a global "pariah" for human rights violations, violations of international law, and open hostility toward Washington.

See more: Saudi Arabia is no longer a "pariah” for the US

"We were going to in fact make [Saudi Arabia] pay the price, and make them, in fact, the pariah that they are," Biden claimed in a 2019 presidential primary debate.

It is worth mentioning that Former President Trump visited Saudi Arabia during his first foreign trip as president, and his feelings toward the Arab country were not soured following the murder of Saudi Arabian-born and US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

At the time, Democrats bashed Trump for not taking the murder seriously.

Biden openly claimed to overhaul Saudi Arabian diplomacy in the aftermath of the incident, including ditching the crown prince.

"We’ve made clear from the beginning that we are going to recalibrate our relationship with Saudi Arabia," former White House press secretary Psaki said at the start of Biden's term.

This comes as clear evidence that the United States’ dependence on oil directly influences its foreign policy, no matter the human rights violations committed by the oil-producing country. 

  • US
  • Biden
  • OPEC+
  • Saudi Arabia
  • White House press secretary

Most Read

Why is Choose Love using a firm with British and US intelligence connections to run a pro-Palestine musical event? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Together for Palestine: Troubling questions about the organisers of this huge event

  • Opinion
  • 17 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Hezbollah supporter who lost his sight in a pager attack carried out by "Israel" on Sept. 17, 2024, covers his eyes with a red headband inscribed with the name "Hussein" during Ashoura, July 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'We Have Recovered': Lebanon marks 1st anniversary of Pager Attack

The Arab neighborhood of El Za'im, on the outskirts of east Occupied Al-Quds in the West Bank, near where Israeli government says housing units will be built as part of the E1 settlement project, Thursday, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Palestine

'Israel’s' deliberate policies drive West Bank economy toward collapse

Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Politics

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns over parent company curbing activism

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll
US & Canada

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS