The Saudis have felt insecure in their relationship with America for at least a decade. Donald Trump's failure to respond when their oil facilities were attacked unnerved them. And so if your strongest partner seems unreliable and you're worried about your greatest enemy across the Persian Gulf, it's only natural to try and hedge. The Saudis would like America to realize that they're not happy with how this relationship has gone,. They do have other partners and other friends, and they are eager to try and cultivate new relationships.