Drilled Drilling Deep: Karen House on How Saudi Arabia Has Changed Under MBS and What Those Changes Mean for the World
Oct 25, 2025
Karen Elliott House, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and former Wall Street Journal publisher, delves into Saudi Arabia's dramatic transformation under Mohammed bin Salman. She discusses MBS's risky blend of social reforms and political repression and how this impacts global oil dynamics. House reveals the tension between Saudi ambitions and environmental goals, as well as the kingdom's strategic ties with China. She also shares poignant memories of Jamal Khashoggi and highlights the obsession with image management in today's Saudi society.
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1978 Dinner That Felt Out Of Time
- House recalls her first 1978 Saudi visit where a dinner with women, alcohol, and a World Cup on TV contrasted later religious policing.
- She uses this memory to illustrate how much social life changed after the Mecca attack.
Real Social Change Paired With Repression
- Mohammed bin Salman combines social and economic liberalization with political repression to accelerate modernization.
- Karen Elliott House argues this mix is real and driven by MBS's belief in rapid, top-down transformation.
Power Built With Rewards And Intimidation
- MBS consolidated power quickly by offering jobs and entertainment to youth while suppressing rivals.
- House says intimidation of elites and backing from King Salman helped centralize authority under MBS.
