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US President Donald Trump said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman knew “nothing” about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as he welcomed the kingdom’s de facto ruler to the White House.
Trump’s comments appeared to contradict a 2021 U.S. intelligence assessment that determined the crown prince approved the operation that led to Khashoggi’s death at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
The crown prince, who has denied any wrongdoing, said at the White House that Saudi Arabia “did all the right things” in investigating Khashoggi’s death.
This is his first visit to the United States since the assassination, which has had an impact on relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Trump fired back at a reporter in the Oval Office on Tuesday who asked about the murder.
“You’re talking about a very controversial person,” the US president said.
“A lot of people don’t like the gentleman you’re talking about. Whether you like him or not, things are going to happen.”
“But he (the crown prince) doesn’t know anything about it,” Trump added. “You don’t have to embarrass our guests.”
The crown prince added that Saudi Arabia “took all the right steps” to investigate the murder, which he called a “painful” and “huge mistake.”
2021 U.S. intelligence report released – under President Joe Biden’s administration – determined the crown prince had approved plans to “capture or kill” Khashoggi in Istanbul. During Trump’s first administration, White House officials refused to release the report.
While dozens of Saudi officials face sanctions following the assassination, none have directly targeted the crown prince.
At the time, Saudi Arabia rejected the report, calling it “negative, false and unacceptable.”
Khashoggi’s widow called on the crown prince on Tuesday to apologize for her husband’s murder, which she said had “no justification.”
“The crown prince said he was sorry so he should meet me to apologize and compensate me for the murder of my husband @JKhashoggi,” Hanan Elatr Khashoggi posted on
Tuesday’s meeting between Trump and Mohammed bin Salman is expected to include deals on civilian nuclear power, artificial intelligence and Saudi investment in the United States, which the crown prince said would increase to 1 lira (£761bn) from the $600bn pledged earlier this year.
Echoing Trump’s own words, bin Salman said the United States was “the hottest country on earth” and praised the US president for creating “long-term opportunities”.
The two also discussed the possibility of selling advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
Trump said that while export licenses were still being announced, he expected a deal would be reached between Saudi Arabia and U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin.
The potential sale has alarmed some Israeli officials, who say it could undermine the country’s “qualitative military advantage” in the Middle East, where Israel is the only country to date to possess F-35s.
The US president said the models sold to Saudi Arabia will be broadly similar to those operated by Israel.
“This (Saudi Arabia) is a great ally, Israel is a great ally,” Trump said. “I know they want you to get smaller caliber aircraft.
“But as far as I’m concerned, I think they’re both at a level where they should be leading,” he added.
The crown prince’s visit to Washington continues with a dinner on Tuesday night and an investment summit on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portuguese footballer who plays in the Saudi professional league, is also expected to arrive at the White House on Tuesday, a White House official confirmed to the BBC.
Biden did not host the crown prince and vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” over its human rights record. However, in 2022, Biden visited Saudi Arabia and struck deals on other issues.
