Saudi Arabia and Trump have the same goals, says Saudi FM

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has expressed optimism about the new U.S. administration taking office on Friday.

"Our interests align," Adel Al Jubeir said this week, according to media reports.

Jubeir's comments come just three days before Trump, whose campaign rhetoric was decidedly anti-Saudi and Islamophobic, takes office. 

"The objectives we want to achieve are the same," he said. Jubeir explained that Saudi Arabia and Donald Trump's administration may have some disagreements "on how to get there," but they don't disagree on "what needs to be done."

Jubeir also said that Saudi Arabia welcomes Trump's plan to "restore America’s role in the world."

Jubeir pointed to several key issues where Trump's policies and that of the kingdom resonate. 

"Wanting to defeat ISIS, absolutely," he said. "Wanting to contain Iran ... absolutely."

He said when it comes to geopolitical issues (Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran) and also with matters of energy and finance, the kingdom and Trump's government are aligned.

Despite Jubeir's confidence, Trump's rhetoric has not always appeared to fit neatly with the Saudi agenda. The president-elect routinely criticized the kingdom during his campaign and vocally supported legislation allowing American citizens to sue the kingdom over the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. must remove itself from dependency on Saudi oil. He has even called for blocking imports of Saudi oil altogether.

He also lambasted his political opponent, Hillary Clinton, because her foundation received funds from Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries. At the same time, Trump's company launched several business ventures in the kingdom towards the beginning of his campaign only to shut them down following the election.

Incidentally, the President-elect also once said he likes Saudis because they buy multi-million dollar apartments from him.

When it comes to geopolitics, Trump has strongly opposed President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran, as has Saudi Arabia. But, Trump has also voiced support for President Bashar Al Assad's government in Syria, a position strongly opposed by the kingdom. 

Saudi Arabia, other Gulf countries and Obama's administration have been logistically and financially supporting rebel groups in Syria throughout the country's conflict.

And of course, Trump has famously called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the U.S. as well as the creation of a Muslim registry. As the center of Islam in the world, such comments would assumedly be viewed as hostile by Saudi Arabia.

Regardless, it appears the kingdom is welcoming the election of a Republican president. 

A former Saudi diplomat told The Washington Post in November that most members of the royal family "are happy with the result," saying Saudis "are closer to Republicans psychologically."

Jubeir's words this week echo those sentiments. "We are optimistic about the incoming administration and look forward to working with it," he said.