'How do you sleep at night?' Donald Trump asks Saudi prince during speech — here's why

During his diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump raised eyebrows with an unusual question to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS): "How do you sleep at night?"

The question was asked during a speech at a royal gathering in Riyadh, where Trump addressed an audience of global business elites.

The 78-year-old president, on his first international trip since taking office for a second term, turned to MBS and asked, "Mohammed, do you sleep at night? How do you sleep?"


Trump was praising the Crown Prince ’s ability to overcome criticism and build Saudi Arabia into a powerful global business hub.

He added, "He tosses and turns like some of us. It's the ones that don't toss and turn — they're the ones that will never take you to the promised land," suggesting that MBS’s determination, despite the challenges he faced, was what made him a successful leader.

Trump’s speech at the Saudi Royal Court focused on his admiration for Saudi Arabia's transformation under MBS's leadership. "Critics doubted it was possible, what you’ve done, but over the past eight years, Saudi Arabia has proved the critics totally wrong," Trump said, earning a standing ovation from the audience.

Trump also remarked on the close relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia, saying, “Oh, what I do for the crown prince,” referring to actions like lifting sanctions on Syria at MBS’s request.

Despite Saudi Arabia’s controversial human rights record, Trump described the kingdom as “the center of the world."

“We are rocking. The United States is the hottest country, with the exception of your country,” Trump said, showing more friendly praise for MBS.

Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia has largely centred around bolstering economic ties and security cooperation in the region, with major trade agreements expected to generate billions in investments.

Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and other high-profile names also joined Trump on this trip.