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  "path": "/post/208102/saudi-mbs-push-trump-iran-war",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-24T15:34:43.000Z",
  "site": "https://newrepublic.com",
  "tags": [
    "Breaking News",
    "Politics",
    "Republicans",
    "Republican Party",
    "United States",
    "Saudi Arabia",
    "Middle East",
    "Iran",
    "Foreign Policy",
    "World",
    "iran war",
    "Donald Trump",
    "Mohammed bin Salman",
    "told",
    "whenever",
    "needs",
    "don’t need",
    "already won",
    "denied",
    "struck",
    "Sudan",
    "unpopular and confusing",
    "increasing pressure"
  ],
  "textContent": "Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is reportedly pressuring President Donald Trump to intensify his unpopular and unauthorized war in Iran.\n\nMultiple sources who were briefed on the conversations told _The New York Times_ that the prince sees the conflict as a “historic opportunity” to reshape the Middle East.\n\n“Prince Mohammed has argued that the United States should consider putting troops in Iran to seize energy infrastructure and force the government out of power,” the _Times_ reported. Saudi officials deny the claim that the prince wants the war to continue.\n\nTrump has shown all 79 years of age in his comments about the war. He has claimed he can end things pretty much whenever, that the U.S. needs NATO allies to help, that we actually don’t need NATO at all, and that we have already won the war. On Monday, Iran flatly denied Trump’s claims that the two countries had held “productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities.” In short, the president is waffling at a level that would make IHOP proud.\n\nAnd now MBS is in Trump’s ear, reportedly telling him to escalate. Saudi Arabia sees even a debilitated Iran as a “a grave and direct security threat,” according to the _Times_. If Trump pulls out without completely destroying Iran’s government and military, the Saudis worry that Iran will retaliate against them.\n\nThe Saudis specifically fear strikes on their oil infrastructure. Iran has already struck Saudi refineries and siphoned off the Strait of Hormuz, crippling the global oil market.\n\nThe prince has a lot of influence over Trump, having already convinced him to announce the U.S. would take action in Sudan in 2025. But the Iran war is a different matter. The conflict is unpopular and confusing to Americans, and Trump is facing increasing pressure from his base to end things.",
  "title": "Saudi’s MBS Secretly Pushes Trump to Take Iran War to Next Phase"
}