President Donald Trump has publicly exonerated Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman regarding the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, declaring the royal "knew nothing about it" during a high-profile White House meeting that signaled a sweeping rehabilitation of the controversial leader.
Oval Office Absolution
Standing alongside the Saudi crown prince in the Oval Office on November 18, 2025, Trump dismissed questions about Khashoggi's 2018 killing at the Saudi consulate in Turkey with startling nonchalance. "A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about," Trump told reporters when asked about the Washington Post columnist. "Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that."
The comments represent a dramatic reversal from the 2021 U.S. intelligence report that directly implicated the 40-year-old crown prince, commonly known as MBS, in Khashoggi's death. That finding had severely strained relations between Saudi Arabia and many Western allies, including during the administration of Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden.
Economic Partnership Takes Priority
The meeting served as the backdrop for announcing a significant expansion of economic ties between the two nations. Both leaders revealed they expect Saudi Arabia's investment in the United States to grow to as much as $1 trillion from a previously claimed $600 billion.
Trump outlined several major agreements under discussion, including:
- A new defense agreement with Riyadh
- A civil nuclear deal
- Sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia
- Advanced artificial intelligence chip exports
The proposed F-35 sale had previously faced opposition from Israel, which until now maintained regional monopoly over the advanced Lockheed Martin Corp.-made aircraft. However, Trump asserted Israel "would be happy" with the arrangement, though experts note the deal would require years of complex negotiations given Washington's concerns about technology sharing, particularly with China.
Regional Diplomacy and Human Rights
In a striking contrast to the Khashoggi controversy, Trump praised the crown prince's human rights record as "incredible" during their joint appearance. The two leaders also discussed the potential for Saudi Arabia to establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords framework.
However, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman indicated his interest in parallel efforts toward establishing a Palestinian state, suggesting the diplomatic path remains complex. The royal's Washington visit included ceremonial honors typically reserved for monarchs and heads of state, complete with a six-plane fighter jet flyover and a procession featuring at least a dozen horses.
The warm reception and Trump's unequivocal support cement what the kingdom views as a relationship crucial to advancing peace and stability in the Middle East, even as it represents a definitive turnaround from the international condemnation that followed Khashoggi's murder seven years earlier.
