'Now he has to be nice to me': Trump uses crude slang on Saudi prince, mixes jibe with praise

US President Donald Trump on Friday sparked controversy after claiming that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had been compelled to “be nice” to him, using unusually blunt language to describe Washington’s current leverage over Riyadh.

Speaking at an investment forum in Florida, Trump suggested the Saudi leadership had initially underestimated his return to office, adding that the kingdom now had little choice but to align closely with the United States.

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“He said a year ago, 'you were a dead country. Now, you’re literally the hottest country anywhere in the world,'” Trump said, quoting Crown Prince bin Salman.

Recounting what he described as a private exchange, the US President said the crown prince had praised America’s turnaround under his leadership, contrasting it with what he called a weaker phase before his presidency.

“He didn’t think this was going to happen. He didn’t think he’d be k****** my a**, he thought it’d be just another American president that was a loser. But now he has to be nice to me," Trump added.

He then sharpened his rhetoric, asserting that Saudi Arabia’s stance had shifted because of renewed US strength under his second term, even as he simultaneously described the prince as a “fantastic” leader and a “warrior.”

Gulf role in Iran conflict and swipe at NATO

Trump used the remarks to frame Gulf nations as key partners in Washington’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, which began in late February with coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites.

He named Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as countries that had “stood with” the US, despite the fact that these states have not formally entered the conflict as combatants.

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“Saudi Arabia fought, Qatar fought, UAE fought, Bahrain fought and Kuwait fought,” Trump said in his address, adding that they “they were with us”.

The war has since expanded across the region, with Iran launching missile and drone attacks targeting not just Israel but also Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

While governments in the region have largely maintained a cautious public stance, wary of escalation and economic fallout, Trump portrayed them as actively aligned with Washington’s efforts.

He contrasted this perceived support with what he described as a lack of backing from NATO allies, expressing disappointment that they had not done more during the crisis, yet again.

"We’re very disappointed with NATO. They didn’t come to our aid”, Trump added.