UAE’s MBZ appears with Lindsey Graham, dismissing health rumors

Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed appeared publicly alongside US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, pushing back against online rumors falsely claiming that he was dead or seriously ill.

Graham said in a post on X that the two spoke for roughly 90 minutes, calling the conversation “enjoyable and informative.” He said they “discussed the historic moment facing the region.” According to the official UAE news agency WAM, the two also discussed US-UAE cooperation and developments “concerning regional security and stability.” 

Graham also pushed back against what he called “false narratives” about the UAE leader, making the remarks after days of online rumors about his health.

Speculation about the sheikh's health intensified over the weekend following a statement from the Turkish presidency regarding a phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the UAE leader. The statement noted that Erdogan conveyed his “get well soon” wishes to his Emirati counterpart and that he would postpone his visit initially planned for Monday. The wording of the statement triggered a wave of online commentary on Arabic- and Turkish-language social media. Hours later, the statement was withdrawn and replaced with a revised version that omitted any reference to Sheikh Mohamed's health.

The episode escalated when Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis postponed a planned visit to the UAE scheduled for Tuesday. Around the same time, several Saudi social media accounts amplified unverified claims alleging that the Emirati president was gravely ill, with many claiming he had suffered a stroke.

Graham’s visit and the rumors surrounding the sheikh unfolded against the backdrop of widening policy differences between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Both countries have maneuvered to assert themselves as the Gulf’s dominant political and economic center, each seeking to set the agenda for the wider region. Their rivalry has surfaced in competition for influence across the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, as well as in dealings with Islamist and nonstate armed groups.

The divergence is also evident in their policies toward Israel. The UAE moved in 2020 to normalize relations under the Abraham Accords, while Saudi Arabia has refrained from normalization and publicly tied any potential agreement to progress on Palestinian statehood.

Tensions between the two Gulf powers were brought to the fore in late 2025, when Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla, targeting shipments it said were destined for separatists backed by the UAE.

Shortly afterward, the UAE said it would withdraw its remaining counterterrorism forces from Yemen, bringing an end to its military presence after years of involvement alongside the Saudi-led coalition.

Following his meeting in Abu Dhabi, Graham issued a pointed warning on X: “To those powers that feel the need to attack MbZ and the UAE for doing the right thing — you do so at your own peril."

He added, “Understand that history is about to be made. President Trump wants a region that looks more like the UAE and less like the Ayatollah [of Iran].”

Graham, who visited the UAE after traveling to Israel, announced that his next stop would be Riyadh, where he planned to meet Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He praised the crown prince as a leader who “has shown a lot of courage and wisdom and has embraced, in the past, a vision that will forever change the Middle East for the better.” His reference to the vision embraced “in the past” appeared to distinguish earlier modernization efforts from the kingdom’s current trajectory.

Ezgi Akin contributed to this report from Ankara.