While the networks mentioned the investment agreements President Donald Trump signed with Saudi Arabia, they failed to explain the positive economic impact.
Saudi Arabia and U.S. based-companies, including Lockheed Martin, General Electric and Honeywell International, agreed to “potential investments valued at $300 billion,” Wall Street Journal reporter Margherita Stancati wrote. The agreement was part of Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia on May 21.
The deals have potential to create jobs in both Saudi Arabia and the U.S. and included arms deals “valued at $109 billion” as well as further infrastructure investment valued at “$350 billion over a decade.”
Although ABC, CBS and NBC evening news programs mentioned the investment deals four times between May 20, and May 22, none of the reporters mentioned the investments would create jobs — either in the U.S. or Saudi Arabia.
“Combined, the investments could create some 10,000 new jobs in the kingdom, the statement on the deals saidys [sic],” The Wall Street Journal had reported on May 20. The Saudi-owned oil company Aramco also “pledged investments in the U.S. worth $12 billion by 2023.” An additional $18 billion investment “was likely,” which could “create thousands of American jobs.”
Trump himself praised the business deals for bringing “hundreds of billions of dollars of investment into the United States and jobs, jobs, jobs.” Only CBS Weekend News and ABC World News Tonight included Trump’s quote in their May 20, stories. CBS Weekend News cut off the end of his statement mentioning jobs.
NBC Nightly News on May 21, and CBS Evening News on May 22, also mentioned the investment deals, but did not include either Trump’s statement or anything about economic impact.
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