← Corrections
Context: this "fear over love" quote rests on one secondhand account, and that account has…
Context: this "fear over love" quote rests on one secondhand account, and that account has changed over the years.
2019 (CNN Arabic): Abdullah Alaoudh said His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman first visited his father in 2012 and "seemed enthusiastic" about his reform ideas. No mention of Machiavelli or fear.
2022 (Arabi21): the meeting moved to "around 2009," and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "admired" Machiavelli's The Prince. Still no quote about choosing fear.
2026 (this clip): it becomes a direct quote from His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Sheikh Salman al-Ouda, the only other witness, has been detained since 2017 and cannot confirm it. No independent source supports the quote.