Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    How Biden administration’s attitude toward Saudi Arabia is changing

    A U.S. intelligence report out today confirms what Joe Biden, when he was a presidential candidate, said more than a year ago.

    • rss
    • apple-podcasts
    • spotify
    • Share
    By Madeleine Brand • Feb 26, 2021 • 10m Listen

    A U.S. intelligence report out today confirms what Joe Biden, when he was a presidential candidate, said more than a year ago. He said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (also known as MBS) signed off on the plan to assassinate Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

    Now Biden will have to deal with Saudi Arabia, and it’ll be a different relationship than the one former President Trump had. Unlike Trump, Biden’s refusing to talk to MBS directly, even though he’s the de facto ruler of the kingdom.

    Biden spoke Thursday on the phone with the official leader, Mohammed bin Salman’s father, King Salman.

    More: New York Times: Biden Won’t Penalize Saudi Crown Prince Over Khashoggi’s Killing, Fearing Relations Breach

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Angie Perrin

      Producer, Press Play

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

    • KCRW placeholder

      David Sanger

      Pulitzer Prize-winning White House and national security correspondent for the New York Times, author of “New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend The West”

      NewsInternationalPolitics
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand