Where do Saruman's loyalties lie during the events of The Hobbit?

Question

In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Thorin's company comes to Rivendell. While there, Elrond, Galadriel, and Saruman privately brace Gandalf to inquire about his activities with the dwarves. (~1h35m)

Gandalf argues that Thorin's personal quest to reclaim Erebor will have a larger strategic benefit: the dragon Smaug is a likely ally of "the enemy" (Sauron), so it's better to dispense with it now.

Saruman insists that Sauron is permanently crippled and can never pose a threat, and is pretty quick to discount the few pieces of evidence presented.

Knowing that he later throws in completely with Sauron, I have to wonder: is Saruman's behavior at this meeting simply genuine skepticism, or is he already turned and knowingly undermining his evil master's enemies?

Answer 1

With himself

By then Saruman wants the Ring for himself, and hopes that leaving Sauron alone for a bit might help the Ring re-surface. He is not in any way in league with Sauron yet, as he has not started using the Palantir. (Note that he was never truly Sauron's servant, his plan A was to get the Ring for himself and plan B to survive by allying Sauron rather than to die opposing him)

See this answer to a related question for the relevant quotes and details.

Also note that in the books, there is actually much more time (90 years) between the moment Saruman refuses an attack on the Necromancer and the time it happens, because in between Saruman becomes afraid of Sauron's ability to recover the Ring by himself from Dol Guldur.