Mohammed bin Salman

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud
Mohammed bin Salman in 2025
Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud
Born	31 8, 1985
Birthplace	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Nationality	Saudi
Occupation	Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia
Title	Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia
Known for	Saudi Vision 2030, social and economic reforms, Saudi-led intervention in Yemen
Education	King Saud University (Bachelor of Law)

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (born 31 August 1985), colloquially known by his initials MbS, is the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and the de facto ruler of the Kingdom. The seventh son of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the grandson of the nation's founder, Ibn Saud, Mohammed bin Salman rose from relative obscurity within the sprawling Saudi royal family to become one of the most consequential — and controversial — political figures of the early twenty-first century. Appointed deputy crown prince and Minister of Defense in 2015, he was elevated to crown prince in June 2017 and succeeded his father as prime minister in September 2022. His tenure has been defined by a sweeping programme of social liberalization and economic diversification under the banner of Saudi Vision 2030, alongside an authoritarian consolidation of power that has drawn sustained international criticism. Under his leadership, Saudi Arabia has lifted the ban on women driving, curtailed the religious police, pursued massive infrastructure megaprojects including Neom, and repositioned the Kingdom's foreign policy to expand its regional and global influence. At the same time, his government has been linked to the systematic repression of political dissidents, the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and a protracted military intervention in Yemen.

Early Life

Mohammed bin Salman was born on 31 August 1985 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is the first child of Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his third wife, Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain. His father, Salman, served as Governor of Riyadh Province for nearly five decades before ascending to the throne in January 2015. Mohammed is the seventh son of King Salman and a grandson of Abdulaziz ibn Abdul Rahman Al Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi state.

Mohammed bin Salman grew up in a royal household in Riyadh. Unlike many Saudi princes of his generation who pursued education in Western countries, he remained in Saudi Arabia for his studies. Reports indicate that he spent considerable time in the orbit of his father's political activities, gaining early exposure to governance and statecraft as Prince Salman administered the capital province.

Details about his childhood and adolescent years remain relatively limited in publicly available sources. Accounts from those who encountered him during his early years have described him as ambitious and politically aware from a young age. His position as the eldest son of Fahda bint Falah, who came from a prominent tribal family, afforded him a particular standing among the broader constellation of Saudi princes, though he was not initially considered among the leading candidates for the highest echelons of succession within the royal family.

Education

Mohammed bin Salman attended King Saud University in Riyadh, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in law. His legal education provided a foundation in Saudi jurisprudence and governance that would inform his later political career. He graduated second in his class, according to biographical materials published by institutions associated with his charitable endeavors. Unlike several other prominent members of the Al Saud dynasty who studied at universities in the United States or United Kingdom, Mohammed bin Salman's educational background is entirely domestic, a fact that has been noted by analysts as distinguishing him from predecessors in the line of succession.

Career

Early Political Career and Advisor Role

After completing his university education, Mohammed bin Salman entered public service. In 2009, he became an advisor to his father, who at that time was serving as Governor of Riyadh Province. In this capacity, he gained experience in administrative and political affairs within the Saudi governmental structure. When Prince Salman was appointed Minister of Defense in 2011 and subsequently named Crown Prince in 2012, Mohammed continued to serve in an advisory role alongside his father, steadily increasing his involvement in matters of state.

During this period, Mohammed bin Salman operated largely behind the scenes, building relationships and developing an understanding of the mechanics of Saudi governance. His proximity to his father during Salman's progression through the highest ranks of the Saudi political hierarchy placed him in a position to assume significant responsibilities when Salman became king.

Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense (2015–2017)

On 23 January 2015, King Abdullah died and Salman bin Abdulaziz ascended to the throne. In a rapid restructuring of the Saudi government, the new king appointed Mohammed bin Salman as Minister of Defense and head of the Royal Court. In April 2015, Mohammed was named deputy crown prince, making him second in line to the throne behind Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef.

At the age of 29, Mohammed bin Salman became one of the youngest defense ministers in the world. His appointment surprised many observers, as it elevated a relatively young and little-known prince above more senior members of the royal family. In his role as defense minister, he oversaw the launch of the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen in March 2015, a coalition campaign against the Houthi movement that had seized control of large parts of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The intervention, which Mohammed is credited with architecting, drew significant international attention and became a defining element of his early tenure.

As deputy crown prince, Mohammed also took charge of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, giving him sweeping control over Saudi Arabia's economic policy. This dual portfolio — military and economic — granted him an unprecedented concentration of power for a figure who was not yet crown prince.

Saudi Vision 2030

In April 2016, Mohammed bin Salman unveiled Saudi Vision 2030, an ambitious economic and social reform programme designed to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil revenues and diversify the national economy. The plan outlined goals across multiple sectors, including technology, tourism, entertainment, and sport, and proposed transformative changes to the structure of Saudi society and its economy.

Central to Vision 2030 was the planned partial privatization of Saudi Aramco, the state oil company, through an initial public offering. The programme also envisaged the creation of a massive sovereign wealth fund — the Public Investment Fund (PIF) — that would become one of the largest in the world and serve as the primary vehicle for domestic and international investment.

Among the most prominent components of Vision 2030 is Neom, a planned megacity on the coast of the Red Sea valued at an estimated $500 billion. The project was announced as a futuristic urban development that would incorporate advanced technology and serve as a hub for innovation. However, nearly a decade after its announcement, reporting has described significant challenges in the project's execution.

As part of the broader reform agenda, Saudi Arabia has undertaken additional measures in recent years to attract foreign direct investment, including opening property ownership to foreigners, relaxing regulations on alcohol, and liberalizing stock exchange rules.

Crown Prince (2017–present)

On 21 June 2017, King Salman issued a royal decree removing Muhammad bin Nayef as crown prince and appointing Mohammed bin Salman in his place, making him heir apparent to the Saudi throne. The move consolidated Mohammed's position as the most powerful figure in Saudi governance after the king. Muhammad bin Nayef was also stripped of his position as interior minister.

Following his elevation, Mohammed bin Salman initiated a series of social reforms. In September 2017, the Saudi government announced that women would be allowed to drive, with the ban officially lifted in June 2018. The change was one of the most symbolically significant reforms in recent Saudi history, ending a longstanding policy that had drawn international criticism. In 2019, the government further weakened the male-guardianship system, granting women greater legal autonomy in areas such as travel and civil registration.

Mohammed also moved to curtail the influence of the Wahhabi religious establishment, restricting the powers of the religious police (the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice) and opening the country to entertainment events, cinemas, and mixed-gender social gatherings that had previously been prohibited or heavily restricted.

Anti-Corruption Purge

In November 2017, Mohammed bin Salman led an anti-corruption campaign that resulted in the detention of hundreds of Saudi princes, businessmen, and government officials at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. The detainees included some of the most prominent figures in Saudi business and political life. The government stated that the campaign was aimed at recovering misappropriated public funds, and reports indicated that the state seized up to $800 billion in assets and cash through settlements with the detainees.

The purge was interpreted by many analysts as serving a dual purpose: addressing corruption while simultaneously eliminating potential rivals to Mohammed bin Salman's authority within the royal family and the broader Saudi elite. The campaign effectively consolidated his political control and signaled that traditional power-sharing arrangements among senior princes would no longer constrain his authority.

Appointment as Prime Minister

In September 2022, King Salman appointed Mohammed bin Salman as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, a position traditionally held by the king. The appointment formalized Mohammed's role as the de facto head of government and was seen as further confirmation that he exercises executive authority over the Kingdom's affairs.

Foreign Policy

Under Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has pursued a foreign policy aimed at expanding the country's regional and international influence. The Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, launched in 2015, has remained one of the most prominent and contentious aspects of his foreign policy agenda. The military campaign generated extensive humanitarian concerns and drew criticism from international organizations and governments.

Mohammed was also involved in the escalation of the diplomatic crisis with Qatar in 2017, when Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt, severed diplomatic ties and imposed a blockade on the neighboring Gulf state. The crisis lasted until January 2021 when the blockade was lifted.

In 2018, a diplomatic dispute arose between Saudi Arabia and Canada after the Canadian government called for the release of detained Saudi civil society activists. Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian ambassador and froze new trade and investment with Canada.

The Kingdom has pursued a multidirectional foreign policy, coordinating energy policy with Russia, strengthening relations with China, and maintaining its status as a major non-NATO ally of the United States. Saudi Arabia has also expanded diplomatic and commercial relations with emerging economies and regional powers in Africa, South America, and Asia.

In recent diplomatic engagements, Mohammed bin Salman has continued active engagement with regional leaders. In February 2026, he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Riyadh, where Erdogan expressed Turkey's intention to deepen bilateral relations. Later in February 2026, he hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for an iftar dinner in Jeddah.

Reports in early 2026 also indicated that Mohammed bin Salman sent a complaint letter to a senior UAE official regarding disagreements over policy in Yemen and Sudan, requesting mediation through the United States.

The Khashoggi Assassination

On 2 October 2018, journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post who had been critical of Mohammed bin Salman's government, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The killing provoked an international crisis and widespread condemnation.

A 2021 report by the United States Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) assessed that Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the operation that led to Khashoggi's death. The Saudi government denied that Mohammed had direct involvement, and Saudi courts convicted and sentenced several individuals in connection with the killing.

The assassination severely damaged Saudi Arabia's international reputation and led to temporary strains in the Kingdom's relationships with Western nations, particularly the United States. Several countries imposed sanctions on Saudi individuals linked to the killing. Separate reporting has noted that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein allegedly discussed framing the killing as a "failed covert operation" and proposed branding Khashoggi a "terrorist," claims that have added further layers to the controversy surrounding the case.

Personal Life

Mohammed bin Salman maintains a largely private personal life. He is married, and publicly available information about his family is limited in accordance with royal family conventions in Saudi Arabia. He is known to be a father, though specific details about his children are not widely disclosed in public sources.

He has been associated with several high-profile purchases, though detailed accounting of his personal holdings is not independently verified. Mohammed bin Salman founded the Misk Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on fostering learning and entrepreneurship among Saudi youth.

His public persona is that of a reformist modernizer within Saudi Arabia, particularly among younger Saudis who have benefited from the social liberalization policies enacted during his tenure. Outside the Kingdom, assessments of his character and leadership are sharply divided between those who view his reform agenda as transformative and those who point to the authoritarian methods employed under his governance.

Recognition

Mohammed bin Salman has featured prominently in international media rankings and profiles. He has been named among the most powerful and influential people in the world by multiple publications. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and he has appeared on Forbes' lists of powerful figures.

His Vision 2030 programme has received attention from international financial institutions, business leaders, and governments as one of the most ambitious economic transformation plans undertaken by a resource-dependent nation. The planned hosting of major international sporting events, including the 2034 FIFA World Cup, in Saudi Arabia reflects the Kingdom's efforts under his leadership to raise its global profile.

At the same time, international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have consistently criticized the Saudi government under Mohammed bin Salman for its repression of political dissidents, imprisonment of activists — including women's rights advocates — on terrorism-related charges, and the use of torture and executions. The government has continued to face scrutiny over its human rights record, even as it has pursued social liberalization in other areas.

Legacy

As a figure whose career and governance are still actively unfolding, assessments of Mohammed bin Salman's legacy remain preliminary and contested. His supporters credit him with undertaking reforms that have fundamentally altered Saudi society, opening the country to entertainment, tourism, and greater participation by women in public life and the workforce. The economic diversification agenda embodied in Vision 2030 represents the most comprehensive attempt in the Kingdom's history to move away from dependence on hydrocarbon revenues.

Critics point to the paradox of a leader who has liberalized social norms while simultaneously tightening political control and eliminating avenues for dissent. The Khashoggi assassination, the Yemen intervention, and the imprisonment of activists remain central to critical assessments of his governance. The concentration of power that he has achieved — unprecedented in the modern Saudi system, which historically operated through consensus among senior princes — has raised questions about the long-term stability and sustainability of one-man rule within the Kingdom.

His impact on the broader Middle East is significant. The Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, the Qatar blockade, and the recalibration of Saudi foreign policy toward a more assertive and independent posture have reshaped regional dynamics. His willingness to engage simultaneously with the United States, China, and Russia has positioned Saudi Arabia as a more autonomous actor in international affairs than it was under previous leaders.

Whether the economic transformation envisaged under Vision 2030 will achieve its stated goals remains an open question. The Saudi economy continues to rely heavily on oil revenues, and flagship projects such as Neom have faced significant challenges in implementation. The long-term trajectory of Mohammed bin Salman's rule will depend in large part on whether the economic diversification programme produces sustained results and on the balance between social reform and political repression that defines his governance.