US President Donald Trump has publicly dismissed concerns about the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during the first White House visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman since the 2018 killing.
Controversial Remarks on Khashoggi Murder
During Tuesday's meeting at the White House, Trump described the Washington Post columnist as "extremely controversial" and claimed that many people disliked him. The president directly contradicted US intelligence agencies that had formally assessed the crown prince ordered Khashoggi's murder and dismemberment by Saudi state operatives in Istanbul.
"He knew nothing about it," Trump insisted, referring to Prince Mohammed's alleged involvement. When an ABC News journalist questioned the president about the murder, Trump suggested the network should lose its broadcasting licence for raising the issue.
The Saudi crown prince offered his own response, calling the killing "painful and a huge mistake" and promising to prevent similar incidents in future.
Major Defence Deals and Economic Cooperation
The meeting focused heavily on strengthening US-Saudi economic and military ties. Trump confirmed plans to sell top-of-the-line F-35 stealth fighter jets to Riyadh, despite objections from Israel and concerns within the US intelligence community about Saudi Arabia's security relationship with China.
Trump defended the proposed sale, stating both Israel and Saudi Arabia should receive equally advanced aircraft as "great allies" of the United States. The decision has raised alarms about potential technology theft given Saudi Arabia's close ties with China.
Economic cooperation featured prominently, with initial investment figures of $600 billion discussed during the meeting. Prince Mohammed later suggested this could potentially reach $1 trillion in total Saudi investment in the US economy.
Normalisation Talks and Regional Implications
Both leaders confirmed discussions about Saudi Arabia normalising relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, in return for US security cooperation and commitment to a two-state solution that would establish Palestine as a sovereign state.
Prince Mohammed stated: "We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we also want to be sure that we secure a clear path of two-state solution."
However, the ongoing conflict in Gaza since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel has complicated these prospects. Former US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller noted that "the price for Saudi sign-up to normalisation with Israel has gone way up" following recent events.
The visit included considerable ceremony, with soldiers on horseback carrying flags and F-16 and F-35 jet flyovers, despite being officially billed as a working trip.
Trump also addressed concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving his family's business interests in the Gulf region, claiming he had "nothing to do with the family business" and had devoted all his energy to the presidency.
