Behind Saudi Crown Prince MBS' Rise to Power

A new biography of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by New York Times Beirut bureau chief Ben Hubbard tells the story of how the young prince rose to power. Speaking with CBS News' Elaine Quijano, Hubbard shares how MBS out maneuvered siblings and family members to gain control after his father, King Salman, ascended to the throne in 2015. Hubbard discusses bin Salman's loosening of strict Islamic social codes, his relationship with the Trump administration, the detention of princes and businessmen in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton, and brutal killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He shares what lies ahead for the Kingdom and the 34-year-old prince. In the new biography, "MBS: The Rise To Power Of Mohammed bin Salman," Hubbard chronicles how the Crown Prince has been seen as a a transformative, visionary reformer but also an inexperience leader, who's rash decisions are destabilizing the world’s most volatile region.

0:00
0:00

Key Smash Notes In This Episode

Suggested Episodes