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The Outcomes Of President Biden's Trip To Saudi Arabia : 1A President Joe Biden is back in Washington this week after his first trip to the Middle East while in office.

He now faces backlash after visiting Saudi Arabia and sitting down with Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

During a presidential debate in 2019, Biden said he would crack down on Saudi leaders for their human rights abuses. That was candidate Biden in 2019. But in 2022, President Biden made the trip to what he calls a more secure and integrated Middle East.

We discuss what's changed and more details of the trip.

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The Outcomes Of President Biden's Trip To Saudi Arabia

The Outcomes Of President Biden's Trip To Saudi Arabia

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US President Joe Biden arrives at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

US President Joe Biden arrives at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

President Joe Biden is back in Washington this week after his first trip to the Middle East while in office.

Diplomacy in the region is complex, but Biden faces a challenge at home as well: backlash over visiting Saudi Arabia and sitting down with Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

A U.S. intelligence report found that MBS ordered the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and outspoken critic of the Saudi government. Saudi Arabia punishes dissenting voices and has a poor record on women's rights.

During a presidential debate in 2019, Biden said he would crack down on Saudi leaders for their human rights abuses. That was candidate Biden. But in 2022, President Biden made the trip to what he calls a more secure and integrated Middle East.

So, what changed? And was the trip worth it?

John Kirby, Dalia Dassa Kaye, and Douglas London join us for the conversation.

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