“Secretary Rubio” is Marco Antonio Rubio, an American politician and diplomat serving as the 72nd United States Secretary of State under President Donald Trump. As Secretary of State, he is the top U.S. diplomat and head of the Department of State, responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy, representing the U.S. abroad, and advising the President on international affairs.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud is a Saudi royal, diplomat, and politician who serves as Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. He has held the post since October 23, 2019, making him the senior official in charge of the Kingdom’s foreign policy and its diplomatic relations with other countries.
Thomas “Tommy” Pigott is the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, a senior communications role he has held since March 10, 2025. He helps lead the Department’s public messaging and often delivers or supports press briefings and official statements. The Office of the Spokesperson’s job is to communicate U.S. foreign policy objectives to the public in the United States and abroad by issuing daily press releases, media notes, fact sheets, and other public communications on behalf of the State Department and the Secretary of State.
Publicly available U.S. government readouts and major-news coverage do not provide a detailed summary of the specific decisions or agreements from the November meeting between President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that this January 7, 2026 readout references. The January readout only notes that Rubio’s meeting was to “advance ongoing bilateral cooperation” following that November Trump–Mohammed bin Salman meeting, without elaborating on what was agreed then. Beyond that general description, the specific content of the November meeting is not documented in accessible official or reputable public sources.
When U.S. and Saudi officials talk about “support of Middle Eastern security and stability,” it typically involves: (1) security cooperation, such as military sales, joint exercises, and efforts to counter armed groups like the Houthis and ISIS; (2) diplomatic coordination on conflicts and crises (e.g., ceasefire efforts, mediating talks, backing U.N. processes in places like Yemen, Sudan, and Syria); (3) protecting key waterways and energy infrastructure (for example, keeping shipping lanes like the Red Sea and Persian Gulf open); and (4) economic and humanitarian support aimed at easing the impact of wars and promoting reconstruction or reforms. The April 2025 Rubio–Faisal readout specifically mentions eliminating the Houthi threat and restoring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea as examples of this kind of coordination.
Recent U.S.–Saudi coordination on Gaza has centered on diplomacy around the Israel–Hamas war: (1) efforts to secure releases of hostages held in Gaza; (2) negotiations over ceasefire arrangements; and (3) broader talks on Gaza’s future governance and reconstruction. An April 9, 2025 readout of Secretary Rubio’s meeting with Prince Faisal says they discussed “diplomatic efforts in Gaza to release hostages and work towards a durable ceasefire in Gaza, in which Hamas is completely disarmed and disempowered.” Saudi officials have publicly backed an immediate ceasefire, large-scale humanitarian aid, and a political process leading to a Palestinian state, while the U.S. has supported Israel militarily but also pushed—often with Saudi involvement—for hostage releases, pauses/ceasefires, and post‑war governance arrangements for Gaza.
In Yemen, U.S.–Saudi coordination has focused on countering the Iran‑aligned Houthi movement, defending shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from Houthi attacks, and supporting U.N.-led peace efforts to end the civil war. The April 2025 Rubio–Faisal readout highlights Saudi efforts “to eliminate the Houthi threat to the region, and restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.” In Sudan, coordination has mainly concerned pressing the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to halt fighting, return to peace talks, protect civilians, allow humanitarian access, and restore a civilian-led government; the same readout explicitly says Rubio and Faisal agreed those parties “must return to peace talks, protect civilians, open humanitarian corridors, and return to civilian governance.” In Syria, U.S. and Saudi policy has generally aimed at containing ISIS, limiting Iranian influence, and pushing for a political settlement under U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254, with Saudi Arabia re‑engaging diplomatically in the region while the U.S. maintains sanctions on the Assad government and supports U.N.-mediated talks.