Saudi Arabia’s $600B US bet: can high oil prices and Trump’s low gas wishes coexist?

President Donald Trump’s affinity for grand economic agreements is well-documented, rivaled perhaps only by his preference for low gasoline prices for American consumers. His current diplomatic tour of the Gulf states, however, appears to be steering these two objectives onto a collision course, particularly concerning a much-vaunted investment pledge from Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration has enthusiastically promoted a Saudi investment initiative, with figures cited ranging from a s