Dem Sen. Murphy: U.S. Relationship with Saudi Arabia Is ‘Broken’

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the United States’ alliance with Saudi Arabia was “broken.”

Anchor Jake Tapper said, “Let’s turn to a major decision by OPEC to reduce oil production. You’re calling for President Biden to make a wholesale reevaluation of the U.S. ally alliance with Saudi Arabia. What do you want to see President Biden do? Should he stop arm sales to Saudi Arabia?”

Murphy said, “We sell massive amounts of arms to the Saudis. I think we need to rethink those sales. I think we need to lift the exemption that we have given this OPEC+ cartel from U.S. price-fixing liability. I think we need to look at our true presence in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia. For years, we have looked the other way as Saudi Arabia has chopped up journalists, has engaged in massive political repression for one reason: we wanted to know that when the chips were down when there was a global crisis, that the Saudis would choose us instead of Russia.”

He added, “I don’t have any problem with American presidents meeting with our friends or adversaries. I think it’s clear that right now, the relationship is broken. But it’s been broken under Democratic presidents and Republican presidents.”

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