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Mohammed bin Salman, popularly known by his initials MBS, is the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. In 2018, he took a three-week tour of the US, meeting with political and business leaders. During his visit, he was granted immunity by the US.
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Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the US in 2018
In 2018, Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, visited the United States for three weeks. He met with four US presidents, including Donald Trump, who he dined with at the White House. Trump boasted that the US-Saudi relationship was "probably the strongest it's ever been". Bin Salman also met with business leaders and media moguls, including Rupert Murdoch, Oprah Winfrey, and Tim Cook.
The purpose of the visit was to sell an image of an evolving regime in Saudi Arabia and to encourage political and economic investment in the kingdom. Bin Salman, who was appointed as heir to the Saudi throne in 2017, has been regarded as the country's de facto leader and has fashioned himself as a reformer.
During his visit, Bin Salman reiterated Saudi Arabia's opposition to the Iran nuclear deal and warned that failure to reimpose sanctions on Tehran could lead to military conflict in the region.
Bin Salman's trip came at a time of heightened scrutiny over Saudi Arabia's projection of power in the Middle East, particularly its role in the Yemen conflict, which has resulted in a humanitarian crisis. Despite this, Bin Salman solidified his close rapport with the Trump administration, particularly through the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Bin Salman's visit to the US in 2018 was part of a broader charm offensive, as he sought to foster more cordial and stable relations internationally and promote his ambitious economic vision for Saudi Arabia.
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Mohammed bin Salman's itinerary during his US trip
Mohammed bin Salman's US trip itinerary was a busy one, with the crown prince covering seven cities in three weeks.
Bin Salman's trip began in Washington, D.C., on Monday, 19 March 2018, where he met with Trump administration officials. He then travelled to Boston, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Houston.
The crown prince's itinerary included meetings with leaders from a variety of industries, including entertainment, finance, oil, and technology. He met with the heads of Apple, Google, and top movie executives. Bin Salman also met with journalists, media moguls, academics, and influential politicians.
Notable names on his schedule included former secretary of state Henry Kissinger, former president Bill Clinton, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, New York state senator Chuck Schumer, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, and businessman and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Bin Salman also met with current government officials, including CIA director Mike Pompeo, vice president Mike Pence, senior advisor Jared Kushner, national security advisor HR McMaster, and defence secretary James Mattis.
Outside of politics, the crown prince met with Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Tim Cook of Apple, and the CEOs of Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon, Uber, the Walt Disney Company, and Lockheed Martin.
The trip was described as a ""charm offensive," aimed at establishing Bin Salman's hold on power and brushing over controversies, while also seeking to attract foreign investment in Saudi Arabia.
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Mohammed bin Salman's meetings with US leaders
Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, has had several meetings with US leaders. In 2018, he went on a three-week, seven-city trip to the US, during which he met with four US presidents, including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and George HW Bush. He also had coffee with former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and dinner with Rupert Murdoch. Bin Salman's itinerary also included meetings with business moguls, such as Oprah Winfrey and Tim Cook.
Bin Salman's visit to the US aimed to sell an image of an evolving regime in Saudi Arabia and encourage political and economic investment in the kingdom. During his visit, he discussed his plans to modernise the country, including breaking down some of the strict social rules, such as the ban on cinemas and the prohibition on women driving.
Bin Salman's relationship with the Trump administration has been described as warm, with the former US president expressing support for the crown prince following the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. However, the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia has been strained under the Biden administration, particularly due to Saudi Arabia's refusal to increase oil production in light of the Ukraine conflict.
In 2023, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was accused of "rolling out the red carpet" for Bin Salman, as the crown prince was invited to the UK for a meeting in the autumn. This would be Bin Salman's first visit to the UK since the murder of Khashoggi, which sparked global outrage.
Bin Salman has also met with other world leaders, such as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
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Mohammed bin Salman's meetings with US business leaders
Bin Salman's itinerary also included a working lunch with then-US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, where Trump expressed his desire for Saudi Arabia to purchase US military equipment. Trump boasted before the meeting that the US-Saudi relationship was "probably the strongest it's ever been". Bin Salman solidified a close rapport with the Trump administration, particularly through Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
In addition to Trump, Bin Salman also met with former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and George H.W. Bush. He dined with media mogul Rupert Murdoch and had the opportunity to pitch business ideas to Oprah Winfrey and Tim Cook.
Bin Salman's meetings with US business leaders and political figures were part of a public relations campaign to showcase his ambitions for Saudi Arabia, which included social and economic reforms. He has introduced reforms to improve women's rights, removed the ban on female drivers, and weakened the male guardianship system. However, critics argue that these changes are a smokescreen to mask continued human rights violations and aggressive posturing in the Middle East.
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Mohammed bin Salman's travel accommodations in the US
Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, has travelled to the US several times. In 2016, he visited the US as the Deputy Crown Prince and met with US Ambassador Joseph W. Westphal. In 2018, he went on a three-week, seven-city trip to the US, during which he met with four US presidents, business moguls, and other influential figures.
During his 2018 trip, Mohammed bin Salman stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC, and was accompanied by a large entourage. He was also spotted at a Starbucks in New York, where he met with former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. In addition, he visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge.
Mohammed bin Salman's 2018 trip to the US was focused on selling an image of an evolving Saudi regime and generating interest in political and economic investment in the country. He met with current and former US presidents, including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and George H.W. Bush. He also had meetings with media moguls, such as Rupert Murdoch, and business leaders like Oprah Winfrey and Tim Cook.
The itinerary of Mohammed bin Salman's 2018 trip to the US also included visits to tech companies in Silicon Valley and meetings with Hollywood celebrities. He aimed to showcase a modernising regime in Saudi Arabia and highlight his vision for economic diversification beyond the oil sector.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Mohammed bin Salman is allowed to travel to the US. In 2018, he went on a three-week tour of the country, meeting with political and business leaders.
Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS, has had a close relationship with the US. He has met with four US presidents and has had a particularly friendly relationship with the Trump administration. MBS has also cultivated ties with American business leaders, including Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
Yes, during his 2018 trip, MBS visited several cities on the West Coast, including Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
MBS's visits to the US have been a mix of political and business engagements. During his 2018 trip, he met with political leaders such as Donald Trump and Jared Kushner, as well as business leaders like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
In 2021, the Biden administration's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, met with MBS in Saudi Arabia. However, there have been tensions in the relationship, particularly over Saudi Arabia's refusal to increase oil production to undercut Russia's war finances.
