Lindsey Graham’s “candid” encounter in one of the most anti-gay countries on earth

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham is in the Middle East. Yesterday, he was in Jeddah for a surprise visit with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (nicknamed MBS).

We say “surprise” because Graham has previously been highly vocal about MBS.

The controversial Crown Prince holds power in a country notorious for its human rights abuses and anti-LGBTQ laws. Intelligence agencies say MBS ordered the murder of the US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

At the time, Graham was unequivocal in his condemnation of MBS. In the wake of Khashoggi’s murder, Graham blasted the Saudi Prince as a “wrecking ball”. He called MBS “crazy” and “dangerous” and said it was difficult to see the US maintaining its strategic partnership with Saudia if MBS remained in power.

Well, that all seems to have changed. Graham sat down for what looks like a cozy chat with MBS yesterday.

On Twitter, Graham called it “a productive, candid meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince and his senior leadership team. The opportunity to enhance the U.S.-Saudi relationship is real and the reforms going on in Saudi Arabia are equally real.”

Arab News says Graham was accompanied by his assistant, Aaron Strickland, and US Charge d’Affaires Martina Strong.

Lindsey Graham changes his opinion (again)

This, of course, is not the first time Graham has done a 180-degree turn on someone. Back in 2016, Graham called Donald Trump a “jackass,” a “kook,” “a race-baiting bigot,” and “the most flawed nominee in the history of the Republican Party.”

Once Trump became President, Graham became a consistent supporter.

What could possibly have happened to make Graham have such a change of heart over Saudi’s MBS?

Well, follow-up tweets provide a clue.

“I look forward to working with the administration and congressional Republicans and Democrats to see if we can take the U.S.-Saudi relationship to the next level, which would be a tremendous economic benefit to both countries and bring much-needed stability to a troubled region,” Graham said.

“I also expressed deep appreciation to the Kingdom for purchasing $37 billion worth of Boeing 787s – which are made in South Carolina – for the new Saudi airline. Investments like this are game changers.”

According to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Saudi Arabia has an extremely poor record in regards to human rights. Critics of the ruling royal family and government have been imprisoned and executed.

In March 2022, the country made headlines for executing 81 people in a single day. According to local authorities, The majority were guilty of terrorism and holding “deviant beliefs”.

The country regularly features in lists of the most homophobic places on earth. In recent years, it has sentenced individuals to prison and lashings for cross-dressing and same-sex relations. The death penalty remains an option for those found guilty in Islamic courts of same-sex sexual encounters.