The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, is in D.C. for meetings with President Trump. From the administration’s perspective, the big news is the Prince’s commitment to invest $1 trillion in the United States.
Of course, making a pledge or commitment is one thing. Making it happen is another.
Trump even went to great lengths to honor his visitor, hosting a State Dinner for him, something he’s only done for a couple of other official visitors.
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During a question by an ABC news reporter in the Oval Office, President Trump pretty much rewrote history by claiming that MBS (as the Prince is known) had no knowledge of the Saudi assassination of a critical journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, in Istanbul in 2018.
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) pins the disappearance and presumed murder of Khashoggi on Saudi agents operating under orders from MBS.
When the Crown Prince was directly questioned about Khashoggi’s death by ABC, Trump lashed out, saying the network should have its license revoked. Trump responded for the Prince, saying the reporter’s query was “horrible, insubordinate and just a terrible question.”
A little perspective on Trump and the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, and now Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE): Trump’s business ties with the Middle East go way back and are still expanding.
Since Trump’s first term as president, son-in-law Jared Kushner has expanded investments in the Gulf, as has the Trump family itself, with ventures in and with Qatar and the UAE (United Arab Emirates).
A Trump Tower is now planned for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The family also owns golf courses and has other investments throughout the region.
Did anyone other than me question why Trump would make his first foreign trip after assuming office to the Gulf States rather than to traditional partners such as Great Britain and other NATO countries, and now would hold a rare State Dinner for the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia?
ABC also asked if Trump felt it appropriate to curry favor with the Prince when his family had deep business ties with Saudi Arabia. Trump immediately labeled the network “fake news” and declared he had “nothing to do” with his family’s business dealings. He also said the family has “done very little” in the region.
After this exchange, Forbes magazine noted:
“Trump’s comment comes less than a day after the Trump Organization announced it is partnering with Saudi-based developer Dar Al Arkan to license its name to a luxury hotel in the Maldives.”
[PICTURED: Saudi Crown Prince and President Trump field questions from reporters]
