US President Donald Trump fiercely defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting the kingdom’s de facto ruler “knew nothing” about the murder during a lavish White House reception.
In a striking departure from previous US intelligence assessments, Trump sought to minimise the gruesome murder of the Washington Post columnist, honouring the Saudi royal with a military flyover and formal dinner while officially designating the kingdom as a major non-NATO ally.
The president grew visibly angry when a journalist questioned the crown prince about the Khashoggi case during an Oval Office meeting, calling the murdered columnist “extremely controversial.”
“A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” Trump said. “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he (the prince) knew nothing about it. And we can leave it at that. You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that.”
Trump’s comments directly contradict a 2021 US intelligence assessment that concluded Prince Mohammed had ordered the operation to kill Khashoggi, who was murdered and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.
$1 trillion investment promise
The Saudi crown prince, making his first US visit since the killing, came bearing promises of a $1 trillion investment in the United States. During the meeting, he acknowledged that Khashoggi’s murder was “painful” and called it a “huge mistake,” while Saudi officials have consistently blamed rogue agents for the operation.
The diplomatic rehabilitation marks a significant shift from Trump’s first term, when the killing caused a major crisis in US-Saudi relations.
Following the White House meeting, Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, posted on social media that there was “no justification to murder my husband” and urged the Saudi prince to “meet me, apologise and compensate me.”
Trump’s fury extended to the media, calling for ABC News to have its broadcast license revoked after one of its journalists asked about the murder. He denounced the network as a “crappy” company in a heated exchange.
In a surprise announcement during Tuesday evening’s gala dinner, Trump revealed he was designating Saudi Arabia as one of just 20 major non-NATO allies worldwide.
“I’m just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight,” Trump announced to guests, who included soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo and billionaire Elon Musk.
Military and business deals
The day’s ceremonies included a flyover featuring US-made F-35 stealth fighters and cannon fire, as Trump, 79, sought to impress the 40-year-old prince. In the Oval Office, Trump called the Saudi leader “a very good friend” and praised him as “incredible, in terms of human rights, and everything else.”
The two nations signed multiple agreements, including: – A civil nuclear cooperation pact expected to last decades – A “major defence sale package” with future F-35 deliveries – Artificial intelligence technology sharing agreements
Trump pressed Prince Mohammed to normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, seeking to transform the fragile Gaza ceasefire into broader regional peace. The crown prince expressed interest in joining the accords but emphasised the need for “a clear path” to Palestinian statehood first.
Questions about potential conflicts of interest arose after a Saudi developer announced a new hotel partnership with the Trump Organisation in the Maldives just one day before the visit.
“I have nothing to do with the family business. I have left,” Trump insisted, despite the company being run by his sons.
The crown prince has maintained close relationships with Trump and his family over the years, including through various investment pledges to the property mogul turned president.
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