Four years ago, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a hard time getting a meeting with President Joe Biden, who criticized him over the murder of a journalist. However, on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump praised bin Salman, calling him “an incredible man” and a “great guy” during a visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Trump made no mention of human rights issues in the country.
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“I like him a lot. I like him too much,” Trump said, with cameras flashing and the crowd applauding at an investment event in Riyadh. This warm relationship reminded people of Trump’s first term, where he built a strong alliance with bin Salman through flattery and business deals.
The relationship is built on shared interests. Trump is looking for big economic wins and wants the U.S. to have a bigger role in the region, while bin Salman wants advanced technology, military support, and help with his plans to modernize Saudi Arabia and lead the region.
At the event, Trump highlighted a $142 billion defense deal and a large $600 billion investment package from Saudi Arabia that covers areas like artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and energy.
Trump’s close relationship with bin Salman has drawn criticism from U.S. lawmakers, human rights groups, and foreign policy experts, who believe Trump is focusing too much on economic benefits instead of human rights concerns.
Although bin Salman denies being involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and points to progress like improving women’s rights, critics say these changes are overshadowed by ongoing crackdowns on free speech and political freedoms.
Trump’s bond with bin Salman is much warmer than President Biden’s. When Biden first became president, he promised to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” due to Khashoggi’s murder and other human rights issues.
However, geopolitical issues like rising oil prices, partly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, led Biden to rethink his approach. In July 2022, Biden visited the crown prince to reset their relationship, though the two exchanged a controversial fist bump, which some saw as too friendly given the human rights concerns. The relationship improved as the U.S. worked on a deal to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
During Trump’s visit, the crown prince personally welcomed him, escorting him up an escalator and driving him in a golf cart before a state dinner. The close bond between them was clear when Trump agreed to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, a move he said was made at bin Salman’s request.
Trump joked, “Oh, what I do for the crown prince,” as the crown prince placed his hands over his heart and led a standing ovation.
