When Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz did not greet him. Instead, the welcome was led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—known as MbS—who is, in effect, the kingdom’s de facto ruler. As Der Standard put it, this was more than just a diplomatic signal: “The king lives, but the king is gone.”
Officially, the 89-year-old Salman remains the monarch. Press releases still quote him “inviting a thousand Palestinian pilgrims to the Hajj” and participating in state affairs. Yet his public appearances have all but vanished, and health updates are increasingly rare. It is obvious that power has shifted entirely to his son—MbS—who now controls not only the royal court but also the political, economic, military, and ideological levers of Saudi Arabia.
During Trump’s first presidential term in May 2017, King Salman personally received the American president. At the time, Mohammed bin Salman was still only Deputy Crown Prince. But soon after, he ascended as the official heir and began a rapid consolidation of power. According to Der Standard, it was the prolonged life of his ailing father that gave MbS a unique advantage—time to solidify his position and gain legitimacy through his father’s presence.
Had the king died several years earlier, the House of Saud might have faced a serious internal power struggle. After all, Mohammed is not a son but a grandson of the kingdom’s founder, Abdulaziz ibn Saud (who died in 1953). Until now, all monarchs—six in total—were sons of Abdulaziz by different mothers. With MbS, an era ends, and for the first time, the throne will pass to a new generation.
The Rise of a Prince and His Conflicts
MbS’s political career began with his appointment as Minister of Defense in January 2015, right after his father ascended the throne. Just two months later, the young minister launched Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Despite early successes, the conflict descended into a bloody stalemate, and the Saudi-led coalition faced accusations of war crimes. Airstrikes using U.S.-supplied jets and munitions triggered international outrage.
However, MbS truly burst onto the global stage in 2017 with his high-profile “anti-corruption campaign.” Hundreds of businessmen, officials, and even royal family members were detained in Riyadh’s luxurious Ritz Carlton Hotel until they handed over what MbS claimed were ill-gotten assets. The state later announced it had recovered over $100 billion. In a country without a tradition of the rule of law, the move was surprisingly popular among the public.
The most infamous episode remains the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. A vocal critic of MbS, Khashoggi was brutally killed—his body dismembered and secretly disposed of. Though several perpetrators were convicted, they were later spared the death penalty after being “forgiven” by Khashoggi’s sons. The crown prince’s responsibility was widely discussed in the West. Even Donald Trump, in an interview with journalist Bob Woodward, admitted: “I saved his ass. I convinced Congress to leave him alone.”
Modernization, Nationalism, and the MbS Era
In 2022, Mohammed bin Salman took the additional title of Prime Minister—an office traditionally held by the king himself. According to Der Standard, analysts speculated that the move was meant to secure legal immunity in the U.S. But it also clearly reflected his father’s declining health. Today, MbS effectively runs the country, while the king remains alive but politically absent.
MbS seeks to modernize the conservative kingdom. He promotes a vision of secular nationalism, moving the country away from traditional Islamic dogma. He opened Saudi Arabia to tourism, lifted the ban on women driving, and invested in entertainment. According to Der Standard, many young Saudis support his initiatives, despite his authoritarian methods.
The king’s physical weakness allows MbS to pursue his most ambitious plans. Though criticized for his brutality and repressive style, he can no longer be ignored. He is the face of a new Arab politics. The fading presence of his father still shelters him from full accountability—but it is already clear: the era of King Salman is over. The era of Mohammed bin Salman has begun.
This article was prepared based on materials published by Der Standard. The author does not claim authorship of the original text but presents their interpretation of the content for informational purposes.
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