Donald Trump has shrugged off the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, describing the Washington Post columnist as 'extremely controversial' and saying 'things happen'. The US president made the remarks at the White House on Tuesday while welcoming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time since the journalist was killed and dismembered by Saudi operatives in Istanbul.
US intelligence agencies have formally assessed that the prince ordered the killing, but Trump insisted that 'he knew nothing about it'. Prince Mohammed described the murder as 'painful' and 'a huge mistake', adding that Saudi Arabia was 'doing our best that this doesn’t happen again'.
During the visit, Trump designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-Nato ally, a symbolic move granting defence and trade benefits. He also confirmed plans to sell advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Riyadh, over Israeli objections and intelligence community concerns. The president argued that Saudi Arabia and Israel should both receive 'top of the line' equipment.
The meeting included discussions on Saudi investment in the US economy, initially billed at $600bn but which the crown prince said could reach $1tn. The two leaders also addressed normalising relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel in return for a commitment to a two-state solution for Palestine.
Trump praised the prince as a 'man of leadership' and said, 'It’s an honour to be your friend.' The White House event featured military pageantry and a black-tie dinner attended by Elon Musk, Cristiano Ronaldo, and other prominent figures.
