It seems like the White House rolled out the red carpet with a grand welcome for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The prince made his big return to the American frontier, not seen since 2018. The topic of the day was all about the economy and military power, which seems to be a favorite subject of both the President and the Crown Prince. Maybe we should skip the formalities and just have a big barbecue at the White House backyard – sounds like they’d enjoy that more.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, affectionately known as MBS to his friends and possibly a few frenemies, is apparently all about investing in the United States these days. He has already funneled a whopping $600 billion into the U.S., making one wonder if this is a royal shopping spree or a genuine bromance with Uncle Sam. Not stopping there, he announced he plans to crank that investment up to a trillion dollars. Maybe next, he’ll drop another fortune on the world’s largest cowboy hat or a golden statue of George Washington.
No grand visit is complete without a dramatic entrance. Cue the flyover of F-35s over the White House. It’s both a show of might and a chance for the Crown Prince to get a sneak peek at what his multi-billion-dollar check is buying. The President proudly gave the nod for the sale of these American-made marvels, although the exact number remains a mystery. Surely the Prince got the ultimate pre-purchase tour – probably with some free peanuts.
This cozy alliance has its critics, of course. Some are fretting that selling American military prowess to the Saudis might just open the door for other countries to learn a trick or two about U.S. defense. But hey, who hasn’t retweeted a good cat meme only to find out later that your tech-savvy neighbor is already planning a more menacing version? It’s all fair in geopolitics these days.
Of course, these visits can’t always be all fun and games. The specter of certain controversies loomed over the gathering like a silent dinner guest no one really wants to acknowledge. There were questions about Saudi Arabia’s connection to September 11, and let’s not forget the issue of the late Washington Post journalist, whose name seems to conjure up ghostly whispers in certain diplomatic circles. But in a classic diplomatic shuffle, the Crown Prince danced around the issue, doing his best to put a lid on the proverbial powder keg. The show, as they say, must go on, and onto the economic summit he goes, eager to woo even more U.S. companies with his seemingly bottomless wallet.
