We were going to… make them, in fact, the pariah that they are.” Those are former US President Joe Biden’s words from the 2019 Democratic primary debates. The “they” he was referring to was the government of Saudi Arabia, in the aftermath of the 2018 murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi. At the time, US-Saudi ties plummeted, and the CIA concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) had ordered the killing. Seven years on, MbS, already legitimised by Biden’s trip to Jeddah in 2022 and the controversial fistbump, received a grand welcome at the White House from President Donald Trump this week, complete with F-35s, the world’s fastest AI chips, and a central role in shaping the future of West Asia in what is a remarkable diplomatic comeback for the Kingdom.
For Riyadh, the priority was a defence cooperation agreement. Trump designated Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally” and announced the sale of F-35 fighter jets, overruling concerns from Israel and his own officials. In West Asia, only Israel operates the F-35 and is keen to preserve its air superiority. Meanwhile, US officials worry that China could get its hands on the aircraft’s technology. MbS, for his part, promised investments running into billions and has, over the years, reportedly supported the Trump family’s business interests in the Kingdom. It is hardly surprising that, now, Trump dismissed Khashoggi’s murder with a curt, “Things happen”.
What Trump wants, above all, is for Riyadh to recognise Israel and join the Abraham Accords. That will not be easy. MbS has been unequivocal: Any normalisation with Israel must be predicated on the establishment of a Palestinian state. The main obstacle to this is Israel itself, as reflected in PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempt this week to reassure his right-wing coalition in response to a UNSC resolution. MbS cannot afford to appear as though he is trading away the Palestinian cause for material gain. Yet even as MbS wields the prospect of normalisation as leverage with Washington, Trump appears willing to deepen ties, consistent with America’s history of turning an unseeing eye on Saudi Arabia’s grim human-rights record.
