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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday endorsed the United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from OPEC and the broader OPEC+ alliance, praising the Gulf nation’s de facto leader, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MbZ), as “very smart” for choosing to “go his own way.”
“I think it’s great. Mohamed is very smart and he probably wants to go his own way.”
— President Donald J. Trump
The UAE’s departure from the oil cartel — announced on Tuesday and effective May 1, 2026 — marks the first major crack in the alliance since Russia joined OPEC+ in 2016. The decision gives Abu Dhabi the freedom to expand its crude output beyond the limits set by the group’s production quotas. The UAE has been publicly at odds with Saudi-led OPEC policy for months, pushing for a higher baseline from which to calculate its production cuts — a request Riyadh repeatedly rejected.
The immediate impact on global oil prices has been muted, as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, preventing any additional UAE barrels from reaching international markets. However, over the long term, analysts expect the UAE’s exit to erode OPEC’s ability to manage global supply and could trigger a market share war once the strait reopens.
Trump has long accused OPEC of driving up energy prices at the expense of American consumers. In public comments and private meetings, he has urged the cartel’s members to increase production — a message Abu Dhabi appears to have taken to heart, while Saudi Arabia has moved more cautiously. By endorsing the UAE’s withdrawal, Trump is signaling that the White House views a fragmented OPEC as beneficial to U.S. interests — at least in the short term.
The immediate challenge remains the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which continues to block the UAE’s ability to export additional crude. But Trump’s praise for MbZ suggests that once the strait is open, the administration will not pressure Abu Dhabi to coordinate its production with Saudi Arabia — a decision that could reshape the geopolitics of global energy.
Follow Reflecto News for continuous updates on the global energy market, the UAE’s strategic realignment, and all breaking news from Washington.
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