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President Joe Biden met on Friday for an official conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). The latter is responsible for the murder of journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. President Biden did so after denying reporters that he would meet with him.
“I’m not going to meet with MBS,” Biden told reporters in mid-June. “I’m going to an international meeting, and he’s going to be part of it.”
However, President Biden was welcomed on an official visit to the Al Salam Royal Palace, where he sat down to talk with a smiling MBS.
The Saudi Press Agency, the state media outlet in Saudi Arabia, promoted the meeting between Biden and MBS with photos of the friendly “official talks” session between the two leaders.
When questioned about Biden’s claims in June, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that “we could expect” that the American president would meet with the Saudi leader given that he would personally meet with “over a dozen” heads of state.
In early 2021, American intelligence services released a report accusing MBS of approving an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to “capture or kill” Khashoggi.
Although the Biden administration imposed sanctions on more than 76 Saudis for the persecution of dissent, including some who were linked to the journalist’s murder, Crown Prince MBS was not affected by the measures to maintain relations between the two countries.
According to NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander, the Saudi prince smiled “slightly” when asked by the journalist if he would be willing to apologize to Khashoggi’s family.
Tomás Lugo, journalist and writer. Born in Venezuela and graduated in Social Communication. Has written for international media outlets. Currently living in Colombia // Tomás Lugo, periodista y articulista. Nacido en Venezuela y graduado en Comunicación Social. Ha escrito para medios internacionales. Actualmente reside en Colombia.