Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the 2018 Future Investment Initiative. Photo: Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images
As the fallout from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi continues to roil global relations, American consulting firms McKinsey & Company, Booz Allen Hamilton and Boston Consulting Group have stuck by the Saudi government, thanks in large part to a set of broad, lucrative business contracts that stretch back to at least 2010, reports the New York Times.
The big picture: The three firms played critical roles in bolstering the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose global PR blitz in 2017 earned him a reputation as a "reformer" — a label that is now under serious question. They've also taken on more "unconventional assignments" in their multimillion-dollar engagements with the kingdom, including training the Saudi navy as it upholds a blockade in Yemen, advising government ministries and — in at least one case — identifying the royal family's most prominent online critics.