On a day dominated by revelations about Jeffrey Epstein, one story is slipping through the cracks: Donald Trump was set to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
''President Trump looks forward to welcoming Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud to the White House, where the two leaders will participate in an official working visit,'Whsaid a White House official statement
Rolling out the red carpet
Not only is Trump welcoming Salman, who came under global scrutiny after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but he’s pulling out all the stops and rolling out the red carpet.
More than just meeting
“We’re more than meeting,” Trump said late Friday as he flew to Florida for the weekend. “We’re honoring Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince.”
Cozying up to the Middle East
This is the second example in the last week of Trump repairing a bridge with someone who’s been accused of violent political crimes. Just days ago, Trump welcomed Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to the White House, a man America had labelled a ‘specially designated global terrorist’ until just a week ago.
Abraham Accords
Reportedly, Trump was inviting Salman to the White House to discuss the Abraham Accords, a set of agreements outlining diplomacy between Israel and a swath of countries in northern Africa and the Middle East.
“The Abraham Accords will be a part we’re going to be discussing. I hope that Saudi Arabia will be going into the Abraham Accords fairly shortly.”
Five signatories
There are currently five signatories to the Abraham Accords: Bahrain, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan.
The last time Crown Prince Salman was in the United States was 2018, just months before Jamal Khashoggi entered a Saudi consulate in Turkey, and was never seen again.
CIA investigation
A CIA investigation was tying Crown Prince Salman to the murder, and that the most likely scenario was that he had ordered the killing. Salman has denied any connection to the murder.
Bridging barriers
With the meeting on Tuesday, it seems as though any tensions between the US and Saudi Arabia have dissolved. Donald Trump’s welcome ceremony will reportedly include military bands, a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office and a black-tie dinner in the evening.
A rare appearance
The event was coordinated by First Lady Melania Trump, who is a rare sight at the White House. The First Lady splits her time between New York, Florida, and Washington, and is rarely pictured with the president. The last time they were photographed together was while handing out Halloween candy in the UK.
First state visit
In May, Trump visited Saudi Arabia as the first state visit of his second term, where he was greeted with an elaborate ceremony that included a fighter jet escort, an honor guard with golden swords and a fleet of Arabian horses accompanying his limousine.
$600bn investment
Before the May meeting, the Saudis promised to invest $600bn in the United States. Trump brought along several American executives with him on that trip and signed several agreements.
An added dynamic
There is also an added dynamic to this meeting: Trump’s personal financial stake in Saudi Arabia. The Trump Organization, run by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, is involved in multiple significant real estate projects in Saudi Arabia. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also has substantial business ties to the country. Kushner’s investment fund, Affinity Partners, has raised billions of dollars in capital from Saudi Arabia.
Personal connections raise eyebrows
Trump’s personal connections to Saudi Arabia have raised eyebrows and put the word corruption on the tongues of his critics, but this is just another example in a long line of thinly veiled corrupt behaviour.