U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will work to end the “horrific atrocities” in Sudan after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked him to help stop the war.
Since the conflict broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, tens of thousands of people have been killed and about 12 million displaced.
Speaking at a U.S.-Saudi business forum, Trump said, “His Royal Highness wants me to do something decisive regarding Sudan.”
He added, “Sudan was not among the issues I intended to get involved in. I thought the situation there was chaotic and beyond control.”
The U.S. president continued, “But I see how important it is to you and to many of your friends in this room. We will start working on the Sudan file.”
The 79-year-old Republican wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he would use “the influence of the presidency to stop the war immediately.”
He added, “Horrific atrocities are happening in Sudan. It has become the most violent place on Earth and is also witnessing the largest humanitarian crisis ever.”
Later on Wednesday, Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan affirmed his readiness to cooperate with the United States and Saudi Arabia to achieve peace.
The Sovereignty Council, headed by al-Burhan, said in a statement that the Sudanese government “confirms its willingness to engage seriously with them to achieve peace,” welcoming Saudi and U.S. efforts “to stop the shedding of Sudanese blood.”
Al-Burhan also wrote briefly on the U.S. platform X: “Thank you, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Thank you, President Donald Trump.”
Washington had previously urged both warring sides in Sudan to reach a ceasefire agreement. U.S. President Joe Biden’s envoy to Africa, Mesad Boulos, told Agence France-Presse on Saturday that the war in Sudan represents “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.”
Trump himself, however, has rarely addressed the conflict, focusing instead on Gaza and Ukraine as part of his effort to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
He described Sudan as “a great civilization and culture that, unfortunately, has deteriorated,” noting that it can be restored with the help of wealthy regional powers. “We will work with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and other partners in the Middle East to end these atrocities while stabilizing Sudan,” Trump said.
Saudi Arabia supports the Sudanese army-aligned government, while the army accuses the UAE of backing the Rapid Support Forces — a charge Abu Dhabi denies.
Trump’s promise to take up the Sudan issue reflects his close ties with the Saudi crown prince, who received him warmly at the White House on Tuesday. Trump defended bin Salman over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the crown prince “knew nothing about it.”
