Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Arabic: خالد بن سلمان آل سعود‎; born 1988) is the ninth son and tenth child of King Salman. On 23 February 2019, he was appointed as Saudi Arabia's deputy defense minister.[1]

Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Khalid bin Salman in 2019
Deputy Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia
Assumed office
23 February 2019
MonarchSalman
Preceded byKhalid bin Bandar Al Saud
Saudi Ambassador to the United States
In office
23 April 2017 – 23 February 2019
MonarchSalman
Preceded byAbdullah bin Faisal Al Saud
Succeeded byReema bint Bandar Al Saud
Personal details
Born
Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud

1988 (age 32–33)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Spouse(s)Nora bint Mohammed bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
ChildrenAbdulaziz bin Khalid
Dana bint Khalid
ParentsKing Salman
Fahda bint Falah Al Hithalayn

Early life and education

Khalid bin Salman was born in 1988.[2] He is the son of King Salman.[3] Prince Khalid's mother is Fahda bint Falah Al Hithalayn, who is the third spouse of King Salman.[2]

Prince Khalid earned a bachelor's degree in Aviation Sciences from King Faisal Air Academy, and continued his education in the United States. He obtained a certificate from Harvard University in their Senior Executives in National and International Security program. He also studied Advanced Electronic Warfare in Paris, France. Prince Khalid was enrolled in Georgetown University to pursue his higher education in the University's Master of Arts in Security Studies program. Due to various official duties and tasks, his studies were postponed prior to his appointment as ambassador to the United States.[4]

Military career

After graduating from the King Faisal Air Academy, prince Khalid joined the Royal Saudi Air Force. He commenced his aviation career by flying T-6 Texan and T-38 aircraft at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. He then started flying F-15 S and was also appointed as a Tactical Intelligence Officer in addition to his duties as an F-15 S pilot with the 92nd Squadron of the RSAF 3rd Wing at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran.[5][6]

Prince Khalid has accumulated nearly 1,000 flying hours and carried out air missions against the Salafi jihadist militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant within the International Coalition's efforts. He also participated in Operation Decisive Storm and Operation Restoring Hope by flying missions over Yemen.[4] Prince Khalid was awarded medals including: South Shield Medal, the Battle Medal, the Excellence Medal, and the Abdullah's Sword Medal.[5]

Prince Khalid has trained extensively with the American Armed Forces both in the United States and in Saudi Arabia, including his training at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. A back injury prohibited prince Khalid from flying, and he worked as an officer at the office of the Minister of Defense.

Upon completion of his military career, he was appointed as a Senior Civilian Advisor at the Ministry of Defense. By late 2016, prince Khalid moved to the United States where he worked as an Advisor at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington. In April, 2017 prince Khalid became the tenth Saudi Ambassador to the United States since 1945.[4]

Diplomatic career
28 April 2018 - Prince Khalid (left) greets US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Riyadh

Following his appointment as Ambassador to the United States in April 2017, prince Khalid has focused on strengthening Saudi–U.S. bilateral relations.[7]

In August and September 2017, prince Khalid undertook his first multi-state tour of the United States, visiting Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, Silicon Valley, Dallas, Houston, and St. Louis to underline his commitment to reaching out beyond the beltway and strengthening the Saudi–U.S. relationship in all areas.[8][9]

In March 2018, prince Khalid appeared on CNN in discussion with Wolf Blitzer to preview crown prince Mohammed bin Salman's trip to the United States. In the interview, he asserted: "We will continue to work with our allies in the United States and in the world to increase our economic cooperation, to increase our security cooperation and to serve our mutual interests and face our mutual threats."[10]

Prince Khalid authored a column in the Washington Post, published on 19 March 2018, that outlined the ways in which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is embracing change, and how the Saudi–U.S. relationship can be strengthened as a result of this transformation.[11]

As part of the seven-city tour around the United States, prince Khalid joined crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to meet with a number of American political, economic and social leaders in Washington, Boston, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston.[12][13] Prince Khalid attended meetings with President Donald Trump, members of the administration and congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle.[12]

Prince Khalid participated in meetings with former leaders – including President George H. W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, along with current representatives of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, including U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley.[14][15][16][17]

On the economic side, prince Khalid joined the crown prince in meeting with entertainment and development leaders, discussing potential collaboration with executives from Warner Bros., Disney and Magic Leap.[18] The Ambassador also joined a tour of Apple headquarters in Silicon Valley, exploring different avenues of cooperation between both sides.[19][20] Prince Khalid is very close to his elder full-brother Crown Prince Mohammed and is also cited as a potential heir to him, when the latter becomes King.

Jamal Khashoggi
Main article: Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi

Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist, visited the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, 2 October 2018, and was murdered within minutes. The following Monday, 8 October, Khalid bin Salman denied that the Saudis had detained or killed Khashoggi.[21]

According to a leaked CIA assessment, whose details were reported by several news outlets, including the Washington Post, Prince Khalid had instructed Khashoggi to go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to pick up the papers he needed, assuring him that it would be safe to do so.[22][23]

Prince Khalid stressed that what the US newspaper, The Washington Post reported on his contact with Jamal Khashoggi before his death or his suggestion to him to go to Turkey for any reason "is not true. He said in a tweet: “Unfortunately, the Washington Post did not print our full response. This is a serious accusation and should not be left to anonymous sources. Our full response was the following: The Ambassador met Jamal once in late September 2017 in person for a cordial discussion, and they communicated via text after the meeting, the last message sent by the Ambassador to him was on 26 of October 2017. At no time did Prince Khalid discuss anything related to going to Turkey with Jamal. Amb Prince Khalid bin Salman has never had any phone conversations with him. You are welcome to check the phone records and cell phone content to corroborate this in which case, you would have to request it from Turkish authorities; as our Public Prosecutor have numerous times to no avail. The claims in this purported assessment is false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.”[24]

According to Hürriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel had possession of the "smoking gun phone call" in which crown prince Mohammad was recorded giving orders to his brother Khaled, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US, "to Silence Jamal Khashoggi as Soon as Possible". The subsequent murder is the ultimate confirmation of this instruction."[25][26]

In February 2019, Khalid was appointed deputy defense minister of Saudi Arabia and Reema bint Bandar Al Saud was named the new Saudi ambassador to the U.S.[27]

Ancestry

References
  1. "Princess Rima appointed Saudi Arabia's ambassador in Washington". Arab News. February 23, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  2. Alexander Bligh (2018). "Changes in the Domestic-Foreign Policies Relationship in the Saudi Context in the Wake of the Change of the Guard". The Journal of the Middle East and Africa. 9 (1): 110.
  3. "Salman bin Abdul-Aziz, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister, Named Crown Prince". Huffington Post. June 18, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  4. Ismaeel Naar (April 23, 2017). "Who is Prince Khaled bin Salman Saudi Arabia's new ambassador to the US?". Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  5. "Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud". Saudi Press Agency. April 24, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  6. "Ambassador Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz". Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  7. "Prince Khalid bin Salman Officially Begins Assignment as Saudi Ambassador to the U.S". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  8. Rogers, Katie (September 12, 2017). "He's 28, a Prince and Representing a Kingdom: Meet Washington's Newest Ambassador". The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  9. "Saudi Ambassador to US Stresses Strong Defense Ties between Riyadh, Washington". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  10. "Saudi Ambassador Khalid bin Salman in his first interview on US TV with Wolf Blitzer". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  11. "Saudi Arabia embraces change – and the United States can help". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  12. "Mohammed bin Salman welcomed at White House by Donald Trump". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  13. "Saudi Arabia's crown prince meets with US religious leaders, urges tolerance". March 28, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  14. "His Royal Highness Meets with 42nd President Bill Clinton, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  15. "Crown Prince Meets with Former Secretary of State John Kerry, Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  16. "Crown Prince meets with Former Secretary of Defense Panetta". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  17. "Crown Prince Meets with Representatives of Permanent Members of UNSC". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  18. "Crown Prince Meets with Entertainment and Development Leaders". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  19. "Saudi crown prince visits Google headquarters in Silicon Valley". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  20. "Saudi Crown Prince talks joint projects with Apple's Tim Cook in Silicon Valley". Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  21. Khashoggi intrigue: A text from the Saudi ambassador, then silence, Jonathan Swan, 12 October 2018.
  22. CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination, Shane Harris, Greg Miller and Josh Dawsey, 16 November 2018, The Washington Post
  23. Strobel, Warren P. "CIA Intercepts Underpin Assessment Saudi Crown Prince Targeted Khashoggi". WSJ. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  24. "Prince Khalid bin Salman denies the Washington Post's claims that he had contact with Jamal Khashoggi before his death The official Saudi Press Agency". www.spa.gov.sa.
  25. "CIA Has Recording of Saudi Crown Prince Ordering Khashoggi Silenced". Haaretz. Reuters. November 22, 2018.
  26. "Turkey says the CIA has a 'smoking gun' tape nailing the Saudi crown prince in the Khashoggi case". San Francisco Chronicle. November 22, 2018.
  27. "Saudi Arabia announces princess as US ambassador". BBC. February 24, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  28. "Royal Family Directory". www.datarabia.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
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