Trump says Crown Prince had no knowledge of Khashoggi murder
Trump’s remarks appeared to contradict a 2021 US intelligence assessment under the Biden administration, which determined the crown prince had approved the operation that led to Khashoggi’s death in Istanbul. The crown prince, who denies wrongdoing, said Saudi Arabia "did all the right things" to investigate the murder, calling it "painful."
In the Oval Office, Trump responded to a reporter’s question on the killing: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman… Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he [the Crown Prince] knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guests."
The 2021 intelligence report concluded the crown prince had approved a plan to "capture or kill" Khashoggi. While dozens of Saudi officials faced sanctions after the assassination, none directly targeted the crown prince.
Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan, criticized Trump’s defense, noting that the crown prince had taken accountability in a 2019 interview. She called for a meeting with bin Salman and an apology, along with compensation for her husband’s murder.
During his Washington visit, the crown prince discussed deals on civilian nuclear power, artificial intelligence, and increasing Saudi investment in the US from $600 billion to $1 trillion.
The potential sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia was also addressed, which has concerned some Israeli officials over its impact on the country’s "qualitative military edge."
Trump said the jets would be "top of the line," similar to those operated by Israel.
Bin Salman described the US as the "hottest country on the planet" and praised Trump for creating "long-term opportunity." His visit included a gala dinner and an investment summit, attended by Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays in the Saudi professional league.
Unlike Trump, President Biden has avoided hosting the crown prince, previously vowing to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" over human rights, though he visited the kingdom in 2022 for other agreements.
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