Since arriving in Washington D.C. on March 19th to meet with President Trump, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman has embarked on a whirlwind tour of the country in the hopes of improving his (and his country’s) image. To accomplish this, Prince Mohammed has claimed Jared Kushner was “in his pocket,” while a propaganda-like magazine published by the owners of the Trump-friendly National Enquirer has been spotted in American supermarkets. Yet perhaps the most interesting bit about the visit comes from The Independent, which claims the prince is going to meet with Oprah Winfrey.
According to a “36-page document,” American representatives from “politics, business, oil, entertainment and tech are queuing up to meet” Prince Mohammed during his U.S. tour, which has already included a number of significant stops. The former daytime talk show host’s listing, however, stands out to experts like Nader Hashemi of the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies:
[T]he prince’s trip appears to be aimed at forging a relationship with the American public too, as an upcoming meeting with media mogul Oprah Winfrey in Los Angeles suggests.
“Saudi Arabia has always had a public image problem in the West because of the obvious things like women’s rights and beheadings… When you meet with Oprah, even if you’re not going to be interviewed, you’re seeking the approval of an opinion maker. You’re going into people’s homes and reaching deep into American culture.”
Aside from Winfrey, who is still assuring people that she’s not running for president in 2020, a literal who’s-who of names were included in Prince Mohammed’s itinerary. Among others, this list features former President Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, CIA Director turned State Secretary Mike Pompeo, Henry Kissinger, Condoleezza Rice, Bill Gates, Peter Thiel, and others. (Oh, and Kushner’s name is also on the list, too.)
Whether Oprah decides to give the Saudi Crown Prince a car or not remains to be seen.
(Via The Independent)