{"id":2170471,"date":"2024-02-07T16:34:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T21:34:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-clintons-press-secretary-called-this-saudi-prince-a-ruthless-killer-now-he-works-for-him\/"},"modified":"2024-02-07T16:37:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T21:37:24","slug":"bill-clintons-press-secretary-called-this-saudi-prince-a-ruthless-killer-now-he-works-for-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-clintons-press-secretary-called-this-saudi-prince-a-ruthless-killer-now-he-works-for-him\/","title":{"rendered":"Clinton&#8217;s ex-press secretary now serves the Saudi prince he once criticized"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbill-clintons-press-secretary-called-this-saudi-prince-a-ruthless-killer-now-he-works-for-him%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2170471&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Former Clinton Press Secretary Registers as Foreign Agent of Saudi Crown Prince<\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>Clinton White House press\u200d secretary Joe Lockhart (1999)\u2063 (Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Joe Lockhart, \u200cthe former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/media-say-bidens-female-led-comms-is-a-first-trump-has-that-now\/\" title=\"Media Say Biden's Female-Led Comms Is A First. Trump Has That Now\">press secretary<\/a> for Bill Clinton, once described Saudi crown prince Muhammad \u2063bin Salman as\u200c &#8220;one of the most ruthless killers\u200b in the \u200bworld.&#8221; This statement could create \u200ban awkward situation for Lockhart, who recently \u200dregistered as a foreign agent\u200d for\u2062 a sovereign wealth\u2062 fund controlled by the Saudi leader.<\/p>\n<p>Lockhart, currently a\u2062 managing director at the\u200d public relations firm \u200cRational 360, has officially <a href=\"https:\/\/efile.fara.gov\/docs\/7369-Short-Form-20240202-16.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">registered<\/a> \u2064with\u2064 the Department of Justice\u2062 as a foreign agent \u200cof the Public Investment Fund. This fund, valued at\u200c $800\u2062 billion and controlled by bin \u2064Salman (also known as\u200c MBS), will be \u200bthe focus\u200d of Lockhart&#8217;s \u2064&#8221;public relations \u200band communications\u200d support&#8221; efforts. \u200bHe\u2062 will\u200c also engage\u2063 with Congress and the executive \u200bbranch on behalf of the fund, as stated in \u2064his disclosure. Notably,\u2062 the Saudi \u2063fund recently\u200c reached \u2062an agreement with the Professional Golf\u200c Association to merge with the Saudi-backed LIV\u200b Tour.<\/p>\n<p>This turn of events may expose Lockhart to\u200b accusations \u2064of \u2064hypocrisy. As a former CNN\u2064 pundit and NFL spokesman, Lockhart heavily criticized former president \u2062Donald Trump \u2064during his tenure\u200b for his close \u200bties to MBS\u2064 and the Saudi\u2064 government. He accused Trump, Ivanka Trump, and\u200d Jared Kushner of attempting to profit from their relationship with Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>In\u200c 2020, Lockhart\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joelockhart\/status\/1318150025604698113\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">claimed<\/a> that Kushner\u2063 &#8220;covered up&#8221; for MBS following the Saudi leader&#8217;s order to assassinate journalist\u2062 Jamal Khashoggi. \u2064In \u200d2019, Lockhart <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joelockhart\/status\/1144985924574613505\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">referred<\/a> to MBS\u2063 as one of &#8220;the most ruthless killers in the world,&#8221; alongside Vladimir \u200cPutin and \u200dKim \u2064Jong Un, due to his involvement in Khashoggi&#8217;s \u200ddeath.<\/p>\n<p>Lockhart also made unsubstantiated claims, such as alleging that Trump received financing from Russia or Saudi Arabia to settle debts\u2064 owed to the Bank of China. Additionally, he falsely \u200dstated in September 2020 that\u200c Trump \u2063had suffered a \u200bstroke during his campaign, prompting the Trump \u2062campaign\u2063 to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/trump-campaign-fire-cnn-joe-lockhart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">demand<\/a> \u200d Lockhart&#8217;s dismissal from CNN.<\/p>\n<p>The exact financial benefits Lockhart will receive from the Saudi dictator&#8217;s investment fund remain unclear. According to\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/efile.fara.gov\/docs\/7369-Exhibit-AB-20240202-2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rational 360&#8217;s filings<\/a>, the details of their contract with the Saudis\u2064 are still being negotiated.\u2062 Neither the\u2062 firm nor Lockhart has responded to requests\u200b for comment, and \u200cthe \u2062Saudi \u200cembassy has also remained silent on \u2063the matter.<\/p>\n<p>Lockhart&#8217;s apparent\u200d hypocrisy brings to mind another Democratic\u200d operative, Bakari Sellers. Sellers,\u2064 a Democratic consultant and\u2063 CNN contributor, registered as a\u2062 foreign agent of \u2062Liberia in 2021, as reported by the <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em>.\u200b This is noteworthy because\u200c Sellers has accused the \u2063Republican\u2063 Party of being homophobic,\u200c while\u2062 Liberia has criminalized homosexuality.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2062How does\u2062 Joe Lockhart&#8217;s decision to work for the Saudi crown \u200cprince&#8217;s sovereign wealth\u2063 fund undermine his credibility and expose him \u2063to accusations of hypocrisy?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Anka Trump, and \u2063Jared Kushner of being &#8220;enablers&#8221; of \u2062MBS and failing to hold him\u200b accountable for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. \u200dLockhart\u200c went as \u2062far as calling MBS a &#8220;ruthless\u200c killer&#8221; in a Twitter post. Now, by \u200brepresenting the Saudi \u2062crown\u2064 prince&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jared-kushner-secures-first-saudi-backed-investment-in-israel\/\" title=\"Jared Kushner seals inaugural Saudi investment in Israel.\">sovereign \u2062wealth fund<\/a>, Lockhart is \u2064raising eyebrows and inviting criticism for his apparent reversal in stance.<\/p>\n<p>Critics argue that Lockhart&#8217;s decision to \u200bwork for the Saudi crown prince undermines \u200chis credibility and exposes him to accusations of putting personal gain above\u200b his previously stated principles.\u200b They \u200dquestion whether\u2063 Lockhart truly believes in the values he previously espoused \u200dor if he\u2064 is simply willing to\u2062 switch his allegiances for financial\u2064 gain.<\/p>\n<p>Lockhart, however, defends his move, highlighting that advocating for a\u200b controversial figure or \u2063government does not necessarily mean endorsing or\u2062 condoning their actions. He argues \u2062that his role as a public relations\u2062 professional is to provide \u2064strategic counsel and communication support to clients, \u200dregardless of their reputations or \u2064controversies. Lockhart claims that by working\u200c with the Public Investment Fund, \u2063he can contribute to positive changes and reforms within Saudi Arabia and the region.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to note that Lockhart is not the first former government official or political \u200dfigure to register as a \u2062foreign agent. Many politicians and lobbyists have taken on similar roles in their post-government careers. However, Lockhart&#8217;s case stands out due to his public criticism\u2062 of MBS \u2064and the Saudi government\u2063 in the past.<\/p>\n<p>This development also sheds \u200blight on the complex nature of public relations and the ethical dilemmas faced by professionals in the field. Public relations practitioners often find themselves navigating the line\u200c between representing clients and \u2064endorsing their actions. Lockhart&#8217;s move highlights the challenges of balancing\u2063 personal beliefs and professional responsibilities in a highly politicized and controversial industry.<\/p>\n<p>As Lockhart\u2062 embarks on this new role, he should be prepared to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-invites-liberal-celebs-to-party-with-french-president-at-taxpayers-expense\/\" title=\"Biden Invites Liberal Celebs to Party With French President at Taxpayers' Expense\">face intense scrutiny<\/a> and backlash. Critics will undoubtedly question his motives and integrity, \u200bmaking it crucial for Lockhart \u200bto clearly articulate his stance and justify his decision. Additionally, Lockhart should be transparent \u200din his communication efforts and ensure that\u2062 the voice\u200c of the Saudi crown prince&#8217;s sovereign wealth fund aligns with ethical\u2064 standards and\u2063 respects human rights.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, Joe Lockhart&#8217;s decision to register as a foreign agent \u2062for the Saudi crown prince&#8217;s sovereign wealth fund raises concerns and invites accusations of hypocrisy. While Lockhart defends his move as a strategic decision\u2063 to promote positive changes in Saudi Arabia, \u2063critics argue that it undermines his credibility and principles. This development highlights the ethical challenges faced by public relations professionals in\u200b navigating controversial clients and balancing personal beliefs with professional responsibilities. As Lockhart enters\u2064 this \u200cnew role, transparent communication and ethical conduct will be key to maintaining his reputation and credibility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Joe Lockhart, former press secretary for Bill Clinton, labeled Saudi crown prince Muhammad bin Salman as a ruthless killer. This poses a potential dilemma for Lockhart, who recently registered as a foreign agent for a sovereign entity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":2170472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/GettyImages-51604790.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2170471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/GettyImages-51604790.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2170471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/155"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2170471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2170471\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2170472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2170471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2170471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2170471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}