MbS’ Successful Power Play

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently underwent another dynastic shake-up as Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman supplanted his elder cousin and former Minister of the Interior Mohammed Bin Nayef as Crown prince. The move paves the way for Mohammad bin Salman to further consolidate power and pursue his more aggressive foreign policy approach. The Cipher Brief’s Bennett Seftel sat down with Perry Cammack, a fellow in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the ramifications of Mohammad bin Salman’s elevation and its potential impact on U.S.-Saudi relations and Saudi foreign policy in the region.

The Cipher Brief: Recently, Mohammad bin Salman was designated as Crown Prince in place of his elder cousin, Mohammad bin Nayef. At first, it was reported the Nayef was supportive of the move, but it now appears that Nayef was forced to accept his demotion, stripped of his role as interior minister, and confined to house arrest. What caused these changes? Do you think there is support for this move within the royal family?