U.S. President Donald Trump recently stated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “knew nothing” about journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder in 2018 while welcoming him to the White House. This assertion appears to contradict a U.S. intelligence assessment from 2021, which concluded that the crown prince had approved the operation that led to Khashoggi’s death at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
During a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump addressed questions about Khashoggi, describing him as a “controversial” figure and suggesting that the crown prince should not be embarrassed by inquiries regarding the incident. The crown prince, who has denied any involvement, remarked that Saudi Arabia took appropriate measures to investigate Khashoggi’s death, describing it as “painful” and a “huge mistake.”
In 2021, a report released under President Joe Biden’s administration indicated that the crown prince had authorized a plan to capture or kill Khashoggi. While several Saudi officials were sanctioned following the assassination, the crown prince was not among them. At the time, Saudi Arabia dismissed the report as false.
Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, Khashoggi’s widow, has called for an apology from the crown prince, stating that there was no justification for her husband’s murder. She expressed her desire for a meeting to discuss compensation.
In addition to addressing Khashoggi, Trump and the crown prince discussed potential agreements on civilian nuclear power, artificial intelligence, and Saudi investments in the U.S., which are expected to increase from $600 billion to $1 trillion. They also touched on the prospective sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, an issue that has raised concerns among Israeli officials about maintaining their military advantage in the region.
This meeting and subsequent events, including a gala dinner and an investment summit, mark the crown prince’s first visit to the U.S. since Khashoggi’s assassination. President Biden previously dubbed Saudi Arabia a “pariah” over its human rights record, although he later engaged with the kingdom on other matters.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0gdkwp2p9o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss