Trump Defends MBS: President Insists Saudi Prince ‘Knew Nothing’ About Khashoggi Murder

US President Donald Trump fiercely defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) during the Prince’s White House visit. Specifically, President Trump dismissed the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting the Saudi royal “knew nothing about it.“

The President’s statement stands in sharp contrast to a 2021 US intelligence assessment. Notably, that report concluded that MBS approved the operation to capture or kill the Washington Post columnist, who was murdered and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

• Trump’s Defense: When asked by a journalist about the murder, Trump called Khashoggi “extremely controversial.” He quickly jumped to MBS’s defense, stating, “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it.“

• Prince’s Response: Sitting next to the President, MBS called the murder “painful” and a “huge mistake.” He maintained that Saudi Arabia “did all the right steps of investigation” to prevent future incidents.

• Reporter’s Rebuke: Trump sharply criticized the journalist who asked the question, calling it a “horrible” and embarrassing query for his guest.

• Bilateral Deals: Meanwhile, the meeting saw major advancements in US-Saudi relations. Trump praised the Prince’s human rights record and announced the designation of Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally. Furthermore, the Prince pledged a massive investment of nearly $1 trillion in the US economy.

The President’s embrace of MBS signals a clear effort to move past the diplomatic crisis caused by the killing and deepen a strategic and economic relationship with Saudi Arabia. Khashoggi’s widow expressed profound disappointment and hurt over Trump’s remarks about her late husband.