Trump discusses Syrian safe zones with Saudi king

President Trump spoke with the leader of Saudi Arabia, King Salman, on Sunday afternoon.

The president made the call in the Oval Office, where National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and senior adviser Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, joined him.

Trump and King Salman discussed joint efforts to fight terrorism and how to address the civil war in Syria and the conflict in Yemen.

{mosads}“The President requested and the King agreed to support safe zones in Syria and Yemen, as well as supporting other ideas to help the many refugees who are displaced by the ongoing conflicts,” the White House said in a statement.

“They also agreed on the importance of rigorously enforcing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran and of addressing Iran’s destabilizing regional activities.”

Press secretary Sean Spicer was spotted by the pool leaning in to speak to Kushner at one point. Also present were chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Stephen Bannon.

Trump on Friday signed an executive order calling for a 90-day ban on nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries entering the United States. The order also includes a 120-day halt on admitting refugees and an indefinite pause on admitting refugees from Syria.

Critics point out that the nations where the Sept. 11 hijackers hailed from — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon — are not included on the list. Neither is Pakistan, the home of the 2010 Times Square bomber, Faisal Shahzad. 

Trump also spoke with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan. The two discussed the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS) and the crown prince agreed to support safe zones to protect refugees in the Middle East.