UAE president seen in meeting with US senator after rumors spread over health issues

Lindsey Graham says he met Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan for an hour and a half, dismisses ‘false narratives’ of ill health; two reportedly discuss efforts to promote peace in region

Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan appeared in a meeting with a US senator on Wednesday for the first time after rumors about his health spread following a now-deleted Turkish presidency statement.

Earlier this month, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went to Saudi Arabia and was meant to later visit the neighboring United Arab Emirates, amid an ongoing rift between the two Gulf powers.

But on Sunday, Erdogan said he was postponing his Abu Dhabi trip because the Emirati leader had a “health problem” — in a statement that was later deleted.

The incident fueled rumors online about Sheikh Mohamed’s health, with his Wikipedia page even briefly being edited to say he had died.

On Wednesday, the presidential court shared video footage of the Emirati president, smiling alongside powerful US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham during a meeting at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE’s official WAM news agency also shared photographs of the meeting, in which Sheikh Mohamed appeared alongside Graham.

UAE President receives US Senator Lindsey Graham#WamNews https://t.co/yNuv6DUh6S pic.twitter.com/wTlChxsHLJ

— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) February 18, 2026

To those who are perpetuating false narratives against the United Arab Emirates and President Sheikh @MohamedBinZayed personally, you are full of it. I met with him today for an hour and a half. Not only is he alive, but he is also well and as sharp as I’ve ever seen him. To…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) February 18, 2026

WAM said both men discussed regional developments and joint efforts to promote peace in the Middle East.

Graham, writing on X earlier on Wednesday, said he met the UAE president for an hour and a half and dismissed those “perpetuating false narratives against the United Arab Emirates and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed” as “full of it.”

A growing rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia has brought heightened scrutiny to Abu Dhabi, as prominent Saudi social media voices intensify criticism and accuse the Emirates of contributing to regional instability. Online commentary in the kingdom often targets Sheikh Mohamed personally.

The Emirati leader’s team on Saturday evening released photos taken the same day showing Sheikh Mohamed, known as MBZ, smiling and apparently in good health, with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar.