In a stunning display of indifference to journalist safety, former US President Donald Trump effectively dismissed the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi with a casual "things happen" during a press conference with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Chilling Dismissal of a Brutal Murder
The exchange marked what press freedom advocates describe as a new low in political contempt for journalism. Trump's remarks came despite a 2021 CIA report concluding that Prince Mohammed had orchestrated the kidnap and killing of the prominent journalist in 2018, though the Prince has consistently denied involvement.
Khashoggi's murder remains one of the most notorious journalist killings of the past decade. The 59-year-old was drugged and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, creating international outrage and temporary unity among world governments condemning Saudi Arabia's actions.
Systematic Undermining of Press Freedom
Trump's comments represent the culmination of years of hostility toward the media. His administration regularly smeared journalists as "fake news", berated reporters publicly, filed vexatious lawsuits against news outlets, and called for media organisations he disliked to lose their licenses.
The environment created by such rhetoric has made journalists manifestly less safe in the United States and beyond. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 2024 became the deadliest year on record for journalists in the organisation's more than 30 years of documenting such data.
This culture of impunity extends globally, with Israel responsible for killing more than 200 journalists in the past two years alone, though Trump's remarks effectively normalise such violence by suggesting journalist killings are inevitable occurrences rather than preventable crimes.
The Broader Impact on Society
The consequences of such rhetoric extend far beyond the journalism community. Attacks on journalists represent attacks on truth itself, undermining the public's right to know and threatening the foundations of democratic society.
While the US initially imposed sanctions and visa bans in 2021 over Khashoggi's killing, stopping short of targeting Prince Mohammed directly, the crown prince's rehabilitation through visits like the Washington trip signals a troubling normalisation of journalist killings at the highest levels of international diplomacy.
As CPJ gathers for its annual International Press Freedom awards, the message to world leaders remains clear: while attacks on journalists may occur, it remains our collective responsibility to ensure they do not continue with impunity.
