John Oliver talks Saudi Arabia and the United States on Last Week Tonight

The disappearance of journalist Jamal Ksashoggi has many scrutinizing Saudi Arabia this week. John Oliver explains how the United States is involved

This week, John Oliver dove into the matter of Saudi Arabia. Given the recent disappearance and increasingly likely death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, this is certainly the time to investigate ties between Saudi and United States politics.

Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the powerful Saudi royal family, disappeared earlier this week. He had been visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Security camera footage shows him entering the building, but there is currently no evidence showing that he left. Turkish officials now believe that a team of 15 Saudis arrived in Istanbul to kill Khashoggi and dispose of his remains.

Naturally, Saudi officials deny everything. Still, it all looks incredibly suspicious, from the 3:00 a.m. plane ride for 15 Saudi “tourists”, to the distinct lack of contact from Khashoggi himself. Certainly, he did not make friends with the Royal House of Saud, the incredibly rich and powerful family that governs Saudi Arabia under an absolute monarchy.

Turkish law enforcement now claims that it has solid evidence proving Saudi involvement in Khashoggi’s death. If that’s true, then the revelation that Saudi Arabia abruptly and violently silenced one of its most prominent critics puts the United States in a particularly tough spot.

How did we get here? What is America’s role in the story, and how has its relationship with Saudi Arabia influenced the course of Khashoggi’s almost-certain death? Those ties are becoming more and more obvious under the Trump presidency. They are also likely to make you feel very uncomfortable, indeed.

Mohammed Bin Salman

The relationship between America and the Saudis is complex, but it’s one that has become much closer thanks to both Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The Crown Prince, who is often referred to as “MBS” took over the title from a much-older cousin, bringing what many hailed to be a younger, fresher energy to the role. MBS is supposedly a progressive man who’s relaxed rules on music, movies, and even let women drive.

That film rule, by the way, was pushed aside in favor of none other than The Emoji Movie. Yeah, we know. Perhaps that was not the best way to introduce Saudi audiences to foreign cinema after 35 years. At least everyone got a second chance with Black Panther earlier this year.

MBS has also been at the forefront of other changes in his nation, including Vision 2030. That’s the movement directing larger shifts in Saudi politics and culture, generally moving the focus from the lucrative but ultimately limited oil trade, to more flexible and sustainable technology ventures. To attract more people and companies from across the globe, you need to present yourself as a progressive nation. The Crown Prince has, therefore, worked to change the world’s perception of his country, to both increase goodwill towards Saudi Arabia, and to open up new avenues for making money. To that end, we have not just the spectacle of women driving in 2018, but increased tourism campaigns and even large wrestling spectaculars headed by the WWE.

All of this has earned MBS some serious progressive cred. Yet, is that truly earned? For all that Saudi Arabia has welcomed John Cena and women behind the steering wheel, there is a dark undercurrent to the Saudi royal family. Khashoggi’s disappearance is only one aspect of this complicated and often grim story.

Things get complex

MBS is “far from the political reformer he’s been presented as,” said Oliver. The truth is much more complex. For example, remember those women who were finally allowed the basic right to drive around their communities? That news story was preceded by a series of arrests of women who were protesting the old no-driving rule. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, under the influence of MBS, has launched a blockade against Qatar and a brutal war against Yemen.

Yet, despite all of this, Trump has been a strong proponent of MBS and Saudi Arabia in general. “They know exactly what they are doing,” he has said of the Royal Family, perhaps being more prescient in word than in thought.

Trump has worked to establish strong ties between the United States and the Saudis. After all, Saudi Arabia, was the first nation he visited after becoming President. He’s also declined to appoint an ambassador to the country. Instead, he relies on the somewhat more personal touch of sending his son-in-law, advisor Jared Kushner.

Why does Trump like Saudi Arabia so much? Ultimately, it’s all about money. Members of the royal House of Saud have bought a ton of things from him. Trump hasn’t even tried to hide this, blatantly speaking of the deals at campaign events and even White House press conferences. After all, how is he supposed to ignore absolute monarchs when they throw money at his real estate ventures?

What makes this different?

It’s not as if Trump is the only President ever who got their hands dirty with Saudi deals. Obama and his administration happily sold weapons to the Saudis, even as Saudi Arabia got involved with Yemen. Rather, we should focus more on the extent of the involvement between the two countries, which has accelerated in recent months.

Since the news of Khashoggi’s disappearance has broken, Trump has said that the Saudis will face “severe punishment” if their involvement becomes clear. Yet, does anyone seriously believe that Trump or anyone else in his administration will find fault with MBS or anyone else associated with him? Saudi officials have countered by saying they will also retaliate if Khashoggi’s disappearance leads to U.S.-backed sanctions against their country.

When the full force of Saudi money comes up against the current White House and their investment in Trump properties, it is hard to imagine that anything of merit will come out of it. Trump has openly shown that he’s more interested in a lucrative arms deal than the death of not just a journalist, but a human being.

So, while other American presidents have certainly taken part in the murky politics of the House of Saud and their absolute monarchy, Trump may be the first one to completely ignore human rights violations in the face of financial gain.

“Trump’s intense bromance with MBS is bad news,” said Oliver. When you don’t set boundaries, as in the permissive relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, the other party is bound to push as far as they can.