Johnny Diamond

So by 2019, 2020, Mohammed bin Salman has consolidated power domestically. But internationally, he's in trouble because of the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi.

So by 2019, 2020, Mohammed bin Salman has consolidated power domestically. But internationally, he's in trouble because of the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi.

But there was this horrible decision, wasn't there, for Joe Biden? What do I do when I meet him? Do I shake his hand, even though I've called him a pariah just a couple of years beforehand? And we ended up with what? We ended up with a fist bump somehow, which looked so strange.

But there was this horrible decision, wasn't there, for Joe Biden? What do I do when I meet him? Do I shake his hand, even though I've called him a pariah just a couple of years beforehand? And we ended up with what? We ended up with a fist bump somehow, which looked so strange.

So we've heard about the rapid rise and more tempered fall of Mohammed bin Salman. Next, how has he repositioned himself as host to some of the most important meetings of our times?

So we've heard about the rapid rise and more tempered fall of Mohammed bin Salman. Next, how has he repositioned himself as host to some of the most important meetings of our times?

You're listening to The Global Story from the BBC World Service. There's a fresh episode available as a podcast each weekday. Just search for The Global Story wherever you get your podcasts. With me is Jonathan Rugman.

You're listening to The Global Story from the BBC World Service. There's a fresh episode available as a podcast each weekday. Just search for The Global Story wherever you get your podcasts. With me is Jonathan Rugman.

We've mentioned Donald Trump a little bit as we've talked, but perhaps what we haven't made clear is how early on Mohammed bin Salman and Donald Trump built a face-to-face relationship because... It was, to re-add, rather bizarrely in many people's eyes, that Donald Trump went first. It was his first international trip, wasn't it, in his first term?

We've mentioned Donald Trump a little bit as we've talked, but perhaps what we haven't made clear is how early on Mohammed bin Salman and Donald Trump built a face-to-face relationship because... It was, to re-add, rather bizarrely in many people's eyes, that Donald Trump went first. It was his first international trip, wasn't it, in his first term?

And he built a relationship that has been very strong ever since.

And he built a relationship that has been very strong ever since.

How important in the relationship between Donald Trump and Mohammed bin Salman is Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner? He seems to have been behind the scenes linking the two men, and he seems to be particularly close as well to Mohammed bin Salman.

How important in the relationship between Donald Trump and Mohammed bin Salman is Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner? He seems to have been behind the scenes linking the two men, and he seems to be particularly close as well to Mohammed bin Salman.

You mentioned... the golf championship. It may seem to some like a diversion, this new golf competition that the Saudis have set up, but it's not a diversion, is it?

You mentioned... the golf championship. It may seem to some like a diversion, this new golf competition that the Saudis have set up, but it's not a diversion, is it?

It's part of the other bit of Mohammed bin Salman or one of the other bits, which is this soft power, which is part of, some would say the modernization, some would say the sports washing, whatever you want to call it, but it's part of the change of that he has brought about. It's an important part of what he's trying to do, and the golf is just one part of it, isn't it?

It's part of the other bit of Mohammed bin Salman or one of the other bits, which is this soft power, which is part of, some would say the modernization, some would say the sports washing, whatever you want to call it, but it's part of the change of that he has brought about. It's an important part of what he's trying to do, and the golf is just one part of it, isn't it?

One of the things that happens when I talk with friends about... Saudi Arabia and about Mohammed bin Salman is they say, oh, you're always going on about the negatives. You never talk, you media people, about what he has done inside Saudi Arabia, about the modernization, about the liberation of women, about the blossoming of culture.

One of the things that happens when I talk with friends about... Saudi Arabia and about Mohammed bin Salman is they say, oh, you're always going on about the negatives. You never talk, you media people, about what he has done inside Saudi Arabia, about the modernization, about the liberation of women, about the blossoming of culture.