Did Trump Administration Push for Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) to be Made the Crown Prince?
I just finished reading chapter 14 in Bob Woodward's book, Fear. While reading the chapter I began to think that it seemed like someone from the Trump Administration intervened in Saudi politics to get Mohammed Bin Salman appointed the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Before the Trump Administration started working with Saudi Arabia, the crown prince was Mohammed Bin Nayef, King Salman's nephew. However, Jared Kushner wanted to do business with MBS instead of Nayef. Even though intelligence officials told Kushner of the problems that could be caused by working with MBS instead of Nayef, Kushner insisted on working with MBS. As Kushner was trying to setup his father-in-law's first foreign trip and an arms deal with Saudi Arabia, his go to person was MBS. Kushner even angered intelligence officials by inviting MBS to a White House meeting. Since MBS was only the deputy crown prince it was against protocol to give him a White House lunch with the President.
A few months after the White House meeting, Donald Trump went on his trip to Saudi Arabia and announced a $110 billion arms deals with Saudi Arabia and Saudi investments in the United States. About a month after that trip MBS was named the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Maybe MBS was just smart and understood how to used the arms deal to get himself a promotion. However, it is possible that Kushner's desire to work with MBS and his lack of desire/willingness to work with Nayef is what got MBS elevated to the role of crown prince. Maybe Kushner was right to believe that MBS was going to be the future of Saudi Arabia, but it is also possible that Kushner and other members of the Trump Administration pushed for MBS to be the crown prince because they thought, due to his age (he is slightly younger than Kushner), it would be easier to control him.
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