US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (18th November) openly defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the White House, saying that the crown prince “knew nothing” about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. This defence came despite a US intelligence report released earlier by the Biden administration that had directly linked him to the killing.
During the Oval Office interaction, a reporter brought up the subject of Khashoggi’s murder. Trump immediately reacted, saying the question was inappropriate during a diplomatic visit. He described Khashoggi as “extremely controversial” and suggested that “things happen.” He strongly insisted that the crown prince should not be blamed.
Reporter: "Your Royal Highness, U.S. intelligence concluded that you orchestrated the brutal murder of a journalist. 9/11 families are furious that you are here in the Oval Office…"
Trump: "Who are you with?"
Reporter: "I'm with ABC News."
Trump: "Fake news…As far as this… pic.twitter.com/rjsmuESgfi
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) November 18, 2025
Trump added that people should not “embarrass our guests,” making it clear that he wanted the focus to remain on strengthening US-Saudi ties instead of revisiting past controversies.
Mohammed bin Salman stayed firm on his earlier stand and denied any wrongdoing. He said Saudi Arabia had taken “all the right steps” to investigate the killing and described it as a “painful” incident and a “huge mistake.” The crown prince’s visit to the US was seen as highly significant, as this was his first trip since the assassination shook US-Saudi relations in 2018.
Khahoogi’s widow condemns Trump’s remarks
Following Trump’s comments, Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan, spoke to BBC Newsnight and expressed her disappointment. She said Trump’s defence did not match the crown prince’s own admission in a 2019 TV interview where he had accepted responsibility as the leader of Saudi Arabia, even if he denied personal involvement.
She later posted on X, asking for a meeting with Mohammed bin Salman and demanded an apology and compensation for her husband’s killing. Hanan now lives in the US after being granted political asylum.
The Khashoggi murder and US intelligence findings
Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and strong critic of the kingdom’s leadership, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 to collect documents for his marriage, and never came out alive. Investigations later confirmed that he was killed and dismembered inside the consulate.
In 2021, the Biden administration released a US intelligence report that concluded that the crown prince had approved a plan to “capture or kill” Khashoggi. While several Saudi officials were sanctioned, the crown prince himself was not directly targeted. Trump’s administration, during his first term, had declined to release the report at the time.
Talks on investment, AI, Nuclear power and defence deals
Despite the controversy, the main agenda of the visit focused on expanding economic and defence cooperation.
Saudi Arabia announced that its investment in the US would rise to $1 trillion, up from the earlier commitment of $600 billion. The two leaders also discussed possible agreements in nuclear energy and artificial intelligence, signalling a deeper strategic partnership.
One major topic was the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Trump said that while final approvals were still pending, he expected the deal to go through. This has already caused concern in Israel, which fears losing its military edge in the region. Israel is currently the only country in the Middle East operating F-35s.
Trump dismissed these concerns and said both Saudi Arabia and Israel were important allies and deserved top-level aircraft.
Mohammed bin Salman’s visit continued with a gala dinner in Washington, followed by a high-level investment summit on Wednesday (19th November). Despite the renewed debate over the Khashoggi murder, both sides appeared focused on future cooperation across defence, technology and trade.
