Saturday 4 June 2022 04:55 PM Biden's trip to Saudi postponed after huge scrutiny over Middle East oil ... trends now
The White House has shelved Joe Biden's trip to Saudi Arabia after he was slammed over the oil giant's human rights record - but he will stop in the Middle East in July.
The president, 79, was supposedly traveling to the country as well as Israel following a wider visit to Germany and Spain this month.
But officials revealed to NBC News that his Middle East trip will now be postponed next month without giving a reason.
The plan was never officially announced, but insiders said the itinerary had been passed around other countries and the White House was preparing for the trip.
When asked on Friday about the rumored visit, Biden admitted it was a possibility, but was 'not sure whether I'm going.'
But he was panned by human rights activists who asked why he was entertaining a country ruled by a crown prince accused of brutality.
Biden's rumored trip to Saudi Arabia has been postponed until July after the president received backlash for considering a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has called out for reportedly violating human rights
Salman (pictured in October) reported ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He has denied any involvement. Activists are angered that Biden - who said he'd treat the country like a 'pariah' - is considering 'shake hands' with a man who 'arrested our loved ones and tortured them, banned many of our family members from travel in order to blackmail us, and harass us here in the US'
Biden said: 'I have been engaged in trying to work with how we can bring more stability and peace to the Middle East.
'And there is a possibility that I would be going to meet with both the Israelis and some Arab countries at the time, including, I expect, would be Saudi Arabia, would be included in that if I did go,' Biden said on Friday.
'But I have no direct plans at the moment. We're looking at it.'
An official told NBC: 'We are working on a trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia for a GCC+3 Summit. We are working to confirm dates. When we have something to announce, we will.'
Biden received immense backlash from Saudi dissidents, who called the trip a 'betrayal' if the president 'shakes hands' with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has called out for reportedly violating human rights.
'[Salman] killed our friend [journalist Jamal Khashoggi], arrested our loved ones and tortured them, banned many of our family members from travel in order to blackmail us, and harass us here in the US?!,' activisit Abdullah Alaoudh wrote on Twitter.
Biden has received immense backlash, where activists and family of victims of Saudi's human rights abuses are calling the president's trip a 'betrayal' if Biden only goes for order and doesn't mention the crown prince's allegedly human rights abuses, which he has denied
He received disapproval from a group of relatives who had family killed in 9/11 who told him he needed to bring up more than an oil deal.
They said if he were to travel to the country he would need to bring up 'accountability' issues between reported ties between 9/11 hijackers and Saudi.
Salman has received immense scrutiny after allegedly ordering Khashoggi's killing in 2018. The leader has, however, denied any involvement in the journalist's death.
Biden had previously claimed he would treat Salman as a 'pariah,' but since his administration has face heat to lower the rising cost of fuel - which has reached $10 in some parts of California - he seems to be reconsidering it.
When asked if he would still treat Salman as a 'pariah,' Biden told reporters: 'Look, I'm not gonna
