October 22, 2019
Release

Readout of Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper's Meeting With Saudi Minister of Defense His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper met with Saudi Minister of Defense His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today in Riyadh to reaffirm the strategic security partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The leaders discussed regional security concerns, including the need to find a political solution to the war in Yemen, the goal to internationalize maritime and air defense in the Gulf, the longstanding U.S.-Saudi cooperation on counterterrorism, and to review efforts addressing Iran's destabilizing activities in the Middle East.

Secretary Esper expended appreciation for Saudi supporting U.S. presence at Prince Sultan Air Base and other locations within Saudi Arabia to mitigate threats to U.S. forces and interests in the region.

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/1996092/