Radio Islam and Agencies | 24 Jumadal Ula 1437/22 February 2017

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has said US President Donald Trump can be “a friend to everybody.”

“I believe Donald Trump is a friend to everybody potentially,” he told CNBC at the Munich Security Conference last weekend.

The former Saudi ambassador to the US added: “I have no basis to question his motives.

“I believe that he wants to do what is best for America and this is what every leader should do for his country.”

The Saudi Arabian monarchy is a long term ally of the States, and was not one of the countries included on the controversial executive order that imposed the travel ban. Yet on the campaign trail, Trump hit out at the Saudis, saying the U.S. should block oil imports from the nation.

However, officials and commentators from Saudi Arabia remain largely positive on future relations between the two nations. An influential member of the Saudi royal family told CNBC at the World Economic Forum last month that America will continue to enjoy a warm relationship with the country, and emphasized key areas of agreement between the two nations.

“He (Trump) wants to have peace and prosperity,” Prince Turki al Faisal, the former head of Saudi Arabian intelligence told CNBC. Prince Turki said that Trump has spoken of the importance of fighting the so-called Islamic State and reevaluating its relationship with Iran, two areas where he said the countries would find common ground.

Al-Jubeir also affirmed Thursday, “We look forward to working with the Trump administration on all issues in the region.” Asked if he was concerned that the Trump administration was backing away from a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Al-Jubeir also said, “We are very, very optimistic about our ability to overcome the many challenges we face in the region.”