Saudi Arabia is pulling off an astonishing transformation
Muhammad bin Salman is going from troublemaker to peacemaker
WHEN DONALD TRUMP lands in Saudi Arabia on May 13th for the opening state visit of his second term in office—a reprise of his very first state visit eight years ago—you should pause for a moment to take in just how unexpectedly the situation has changed. Mr Trump has become wilder and more autocratic. By contrast, his host, the crown prince and de facto Saudi ruler, Muhammad bin Salman (MBS), has transformed his country into a force for order.
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This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Saudi Arabia grows up ”
From the May 10th 2025 edition
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