by Rosie Alfatlawi
After the New York Times reported that the Saudi crown prince is the owner of a $300 million French chateau, many rushed to highlight his alleged hypocrisy.
Remarkably, however, Saudis online vehemently defended Mohammed bin Salman. “He deserves a million palaces,” wrote @ameerr1990.
Even as Twitter was filled with suggestions the money could be spent on the Saudi people instead, that people backed up the apparent luxury lifestyle of “businessman” MBS.
Chateau Louis XIV, described by Fortune as “the world’s most expensive home,” was listed by the Times as “one of several extravagant acquisitions” by the prince.
They include a $500 million yacht and a $450 million Leonardo da Vinci painting.
The publication implied this was hypocritical coming from a man who has undertaken a recent anti-corruption drive against Saudi Arabia’s wealthy elite.
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Certainly, many commentators on Twitter criticized the reported purchase amid Bin Salman’s denials that high-profile arrests over corruption were a power-play.
After a hard day of cracking down on corruption, Mohammed bin Salman can always relax at his $300 million chateau in France. https://t.co/O7rHuRdQ4R pic.twitter.com/REoL8oOrkP
— DavidKenner (@DavidKenner) December 16, 2017
“He has tried to build an image of himself, with a fair amount of success, that he is different, that he’s a reformer, at least a social reformer, and that he’s not corrupt,” Bruce O. Riedel, a former C.I.A. analyst, told the New York Times.
“And this is a severe blow to that image.”
That might be the case outside of Saudi Arabia, but at home this does not hold true.
The hashtag “MBS buys a castle for a billion riyals” was packed full of tweets offering generalized praise for the Saudi King and his son.
It also saw many offering the young royal congratulations on his purchase.
“From myself and the loyal Saudi people, we congratulate the Crown Prince His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,” tweeted @mfz9999.
“We say to him with the voice and heart of one man: A thousand congratulations.”
@mnal_rr also wished Bin Salman “congratulations,” going so far as to say that if the report was not true then the Saudi people should buy him a castle.
Many emphasized that MBS’ money was his to spend as he pleases. The heir to the Saudi throne is a “well-known businessman” after all, they claimed.
"It is well-known about the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that he was a businessman and had many different companies before taking any government position," said @Abdullah6q. "This is nothing but the truth."
Bin Salman may have spent several years working in the private sector prior to his emergence in public life, but to call any business interests he may have “well-known” is an overstatement.
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Tweets from Qataris and others suggesting that the money could have been spent better on housing ordinary Saudis, or offering them tax cuts, only strengthened Saudi support. The story was an attempt to weaken Saudi support for its royal family, they suggested.
“For those who want to create divides between the people and their rulers, we tell them that as a people, all of us are behind our leadership and it will not be affected by malicious antagonism or jealous envy…” tweeted @abobasilghamdi
“People are very sick, there is evil in them, and there is hatred in their hearts,” wrote @ameerr1990.
“This crown prince inherited the splendor from his forefathers. He deserves a million palaces.”
Others even claimed that the New York Times was being controlled by the Qataris. Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with its tiny neighbor in June over its alleged funding of terror and connections to Iran.
“News so stupid that a child wouldn't believe it,” wrote @KHALED_Z_KSA_24 “Even if its promoter is foreign newspapers, in the end it is driven by the regime in Qatar”
There is certainly confusion over the Times' claim earlier this month that Bin Salman was the real purchaser of the Salvator Mundi painting which sold for a record-breaking $450 million. The Abu Dhabi Culture Ministry later announced that it had purchased the work, shedding doubt on the report.
Still, for Saudis, it seems, whether the claims of their crown prince's excessive spending are true or not, it will do little to dampen their enthusiasm for his rule.
