A Widow’s Plea Amidst Political Handshakes
A handshake on the manicured green of a luxury golf course can seem simple. But when the hands belong to former US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the gesture is a political earthquake. Its aftershocks are felt most keenly by those living in the shadow of a brutal, state-sanctioned murder.
As images of Trump and MBS smiling at the LIV Golf event in Virginia circulated, the voice of Hanan Elatr, the wife of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, cut through the noise.
“There is no justification to kill him,” she stated, her words a stark counterpoint to the scene of political rehabilitation playing out on the course. “He was a moderate man. He was my husband and a patriot.”
Background: The Brutal Murder of Jamal Khashoggi
Elatr’s plea is a powerful reminder of the crime the world seems increasingly willing to forget. In 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the Saudi regime and a Washington Post columnist, walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He was brutally murdered and dismembered by a team of Saudi agents. A declassified US intelligence report, released under the Biden administration, concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself approved the operation.
For a time, MBS became a global pariah. The horrific details of the murder seemed to have drawn a line in the sand. But in the world of geopolitics and big money, lines are often washed away by the tides of convenience and capital.
Trump, MBS, and the “Sportswashing” Controversy
Enter Donald Trump. Never one to be bound by the findings of his own intelligence agencies, Trump has long defended his relationship with the Saudi royal family, often citing the kingdom’s immense wealth and arms deals. His meeting with MBS at an event funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is a loud and clear message.
It signals that for some, the path to redemption for the Crown Prince is being paved with billion-dollar investments in sports—a strategy many critics have labelled “sportswashing.” This meeting effectively offers a public relations victory, downplaying past atrocities in favour of future business.
A Stark Contrast to Biden’s “Pariah” Stance
This embrace throws the current US administration’s stance into sharp relief. President Joe Biden, who once vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah,” has himself softened his tone, driven by the pragmatic need to address soaring oil prices. His fist-bump with MBS last year drew widespread criticism as a betrayal of his promise to centre human rights in his foreign policy.
However, Trump’s full-throated handshake and warm greeting go a step further, effectively wiping the slate clean in pursuit of business and personal rapport.
For observers around the world, this saga raises uncomfortable questions about the calculus of modern diplomacy. How does a nation balance strategic interests like energy security with its moral commitments?
As Hanan Elatr‘s words echo, they force us to confront the human cost of this diplomatic dance. Behind the headlines about oil, alliances, and golf leagues is the story of a grieving widow seeking justice. While power brokers shake hands on the green, her simple, powerful truth hangs in the air: there is no justification.
