Podcast Summary: Tangle – "Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's crown prince."

Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Will Kbach (Senior Editor, Tangle)
Episode Theme: A deep dive into the visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to the US and his engagements with President Donald Trump, examining new deals, diplomatic implications, and reactions from across the political spectrum.

Episode Overview

This episode of Tangle analyzes the high-profile visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the United States, his meetings with President Donald Trump, and the major defense and investment deals that were signed during the visit. The podcast provides a balanced look at the strategic context, the controversies (particularly the murder of Jamal Khashoggi), and the broader implications for US-Saudi relations, featuring perspectives from the political right, left, and Middle Eastern commentators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Context and Developments

[01:56–09:02]

• Crown Prince MBS’s first US visit in 7 years, following the international uproar over Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder.
• President Trump and MBS sign major deals:
  • Announcement of US selling F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
  • Elevation of Saudi Arabia to "major non-NATO ally" status.
  • Saudi commitment to invest up to $1 trillion in US industries.
• Discussions of bilateral security arrangements and US hopes for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords with Israel.
• MBS met privately with both Democratic and Republican members of Congress, amid mixed reactions and some canceled larger meetings.
• Ongoing controversy around Trump’s personal and family business ties to Saudi Arabia.

2. Major Moments and Quotes

a. Trump on MBS’s Return and Human Rights

“Extremely respected man in the Oval Office today and a friend of mine for a long time...what he’s done is incredible in terms of human rights and everything else.”
— President Donald Trump, [05:26]

b. On the Khashoggi Murder

“Whether you like Khashoggi or didn’t like him, things happen, but MBS knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that.”
— President Trump, [In Oval Office Press Conference, approx. 09:00]

“The story is painful... we have improved our system to be sure that nothing like that happens again.”
— MBS (paraphrased), [Oval Office Q&A]

c. On Defense Deals and Investments

• Announcement of the planned sale of F-35 jets.
• Elevation of Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic status and removal of impediments to weapons transfers.
• Saudi commitment to invest “nearly $1 trillion” in the US after prior commitments in May.

3. Perspectives Across the Political Spectrum

a. The Right [10:59–13:57]

• Mixed support for Trump’s approach: Some favor a close partnership, others caution for a more “transactional” relationship.

• Washington Examiner, Tom Rogan:

  • Criticizes Trump for overlooking MBS’s role in Khashoggi’s murder but acknowledges necessity of diplomacy:

    “Leaders must ultimately pursue the policies that best serve the nation’s interests...future Middle Eastern stability depends greatly on Bin Salman’s domestic reforms.”
    — Tom Rogan

• American Spectator, Doug Bandao:

  • Argues for a transactional, non-submissive partnership:

    “The U.S. should seek to maintain a civil relationship...the relationship should be transactional, based on shared interests, not U.S. submissiveness.”

b. The Left [13:57–16:37]

• New York Times Editorial Board:
  • Critical of Trump’s “whitewashing” of MBS’s human rights abuses and disregard for US intelligence on Khashoggi.

  • "Working with imperfect partners does not mean...cover up and lie about their misdeeds, as President Trump did when receiving Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman."

• Bloomberg, Andreas Kluth:
  • Criticizes granting Saudi Arabia security guarantees, arguing it risks unnecessary American commitments.

c. Middle Eastern Voices [16:37–18:46]

• Eye Mohamed al Masri:
  • Calls the visit a “diplomatic victory” for MBS, arguing the scale of Saudi investment may shift the power dynamic in the relationship to Saudi Arabia’s favor.
• Abdul Rahman Al Rashid (Arab News):
  • Stresses MBS’s balanced regional approach and Saudi Arabia’s increasing importance both economically and geopolitically.

4. In-Depth Analysis: Will Kbach’s Take [18:46–27:59]

• Positive shifts: Acknowledges real reforms and modernization in Saudi society under MBS (expanded rights for women, economic diversification).
• Skepticism on scale of deals: Historical pattern of Saudi overpromising and underdelivering. Points to exaggerated investment and defense numbers (e.g., a previously announced $450B investment yielded only ~$92B).
• Asymmetrical gains: US gains (defense sales, job creation potential) are real, but Saudi Arabia emerges with greater political/diplomatic legitimacy and immediate strategic gains.
• Concerns over “deal first” approach: Trump's derealism about Saudi promises, bestowing rewards before getting solid commitments in return (e.g., minimal progress toward Abraham Accords, disproportionate lifting of sanctions, and lack of leverage).
• Trump family business interests: Highlights ongoing and new Trump Organization projects in Saudi Arabia, and investments with Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, raising conflicts of interest concerns.

  “An expanded US-Saudi relationship will invariably benefit those business dealings. And it invites very reasonable suspicion that Trump is motivated to strike these deals for the gain of his family.”

• Human rights and Khashoggi affair: Sees Trump’s public dismissal of US intelligence and defense of MBS as dangerous:

  “[Trump’s] utter disregard for Saudi human rights violations...The President’s behavior during the press gaggle with MBS in the Oval Office was frankly hard to watch.”

• Overall assessment:

  “A thriving partnership with Saudi Arabia could prove to be a long-term boon...If the deals falter, or fail to lead to more concrete agreements for Middle East peace, I think Trump’s missteps in these discussions will have been apparent from the start...I worry that Trump has secured too little while giving away too much, including our moral authority.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump feting MBS in the Oval Office:
  “His first visit in the US in seven years following a global condemnation when the CIA found him responsible for orchestrating the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi...the Kingdom still denies he had anything to do with.” — John Law [05:57]

• Trump’s rationale for the relationship:
  “Leaders must ultimately pursue the policies that best serve the nation’s interests.” — Tom Rogan (Washington Examiner), [summarized at 12:00]

• Sharpest left criticism:
  “It suggested that the truth was irrelevant, and it discarded the hard work of American intelligence in trying to determine that truth.”
  — NYT Editorial Board [14:38]

• On potential imbalance:
  “You’d be forgiven for looking at these results and thinking Saudi Arabia was the world superpower and not us.”
  — Will Kbach [22:45]

• MBS more responsive than Trump:
  “It was striking to see an autocrat be more responsive to tough questions from the press than a democratically elected leader.”
  — Will Kbach [25:30]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:56] – Show/subject intro: Will Kbach introduces the episode and rationale for focusing on the visit.
• [05:26] – Trump publicly praises MBS in the Oval Office.
• [09:02] – Overview of key meetings, deals, and context on Khashoggi.
• [10:59] – Breakdown: what the right is saying.
• [13:57] – Breakdown: what the left is saying.
• [16:37] – Breakdown: Middle Eastern perspectives.
• [18:46] – Will Kbach’s detailed, critical analysis of Trump’s approach.
• [22:45] – Skepticism about the actual benefits of the announced deals.
• [25:30] – Discussion on the “striking” MBS/Trump press exchange.
• [27:59] – Listener question segment.

Additional Insights

• Historical Pattern of Overstated Deals: Previous US-Saudi deals announced under Trump were often delivered at much lower levels than promised.
• Saudi Domestic Reform: MBS has undeniably introduced reforms but still presides over a kingdom with severe restrictions on civil liberties.
• Geopolitical shifts: The deepening US-Saudi partnership is partly aimed at countering China and Iran, and at shaping peace outcomes in the Middle East.
• Concerns about US leverage and transparency: Critics across the spectrum caution against unchecked US commitment and lack of accountability for Saudi actions.

Closing Thoughts

• The episode captures a nuanced, non-partisan analysis of the Trump-MBS summit, balancing economic, strategic, and moral considerations.
• Will Kbach concludes with cautious skepticism, warning that ambitious deals and personal diplomacy could come at the cost of American leverage and values.

For Full Context:

• Skip to [18:46] for the most pointed editorial and synthesis.
• The core news and breakdown runs [05:26]–[18:46].

Summary prepared by Tangle Podcast Summarizer — November 20, 2025