Trump dismisses US intelligence that Saudi prince was likely aware of
2018 killing of journalist
[November 19, 2025]
By AAMER MADHANI
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed U.S.
intelligence findings that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely had
some culpability in the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal
Khashoggi as Trump warmly welcomed the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia on
his first White House visit in seven years.
The U.S.-Saudi relationship had, for a time, been sent into a tailspin
by the operation targeting Khashoggi, a fierce critic of the kingdom.
But seven years later, the dark clouds over the relationship have been
cleared away. And Trump is tightening his embrace of the 40-year-old
crown prince, who he said is an indispensable player in shaping the
Middle East in the decades to come.
Trump in his defense of the crown prince derided Khashoggi as “extremely
controversial” and said “a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman.”
Prince Mohammed denies involvement in the killing of Khashoggi, who was
a Saudi citizen and Virginia resident.
“Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen,” Trump said
when asked about the killing by a reporter during an Oval Office
appearance with Prince Mohammed. “But (Prince Mohammed) knew nothing
about it. And we can leave it at that. You don’t have to embarrass our
guest by asking a question like that.”
But U.S. intelligence officials determined that the Saudi crown prince
likely approved the killing by Saudi agents of U.S.-based journalist
inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul , according to U.S. findings
declassified in 2021 at the start of the Biden administration. Trump
officials, during his first administration, refused to release the
report.
Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia “did all the right steps” to
investigate Khashoggi’s death.
“It’s painful and it’s a huge mistake,” he said.
Trump, who said the two leaders have become “good friends," even
commended the Saudi leader for strides made by the kingdom on human
rights without providing any specific detail.
New investment from Saudis
The crown prince for his part announced Saudi Arabia was increasing its
planned investments in the U.S. to $1 trillion, up from $600 billion
that the Saudis announced they would pour into the United States when
Trump visited the kingdom in May.
Echoing rhetoric that Trump likes to use, the crown prince called the
U.S. the “hottest country on the planet" for foreign investment.
“What you’re creating is not about an opportunity today. It’s also about
long-term opportunity,” Prince Mohammed said.
Trump's family has a strong personal interest in the kingdom. In
September, London real estate developer Dar Global announced that it
plans to launch Trump Plaza in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
It's Dar Global's second collaboration with the Trump Organization, the
collection of companies controlled by the U.S. president's children, in
Saudi Arabia.
Trump pushed back on suggestions that there could be a conflict of
interest in his family's dealings with the Saudis.
“I have nothing to do with the family business,” Trump said.
Trump's comments about Khashoggi's killing and defense of his family's
business in Saudi Arabia were blasted by human rights and government
oversight activists.
Human rights groups say Saudi authorities continue to harshly repress
dissent, including by arresting human rights defenders, journalists and
political dissidents for criticism against the kingdom. They also note a
surge in executions in Saudi Arabia that they connect to an effort to
suppress internal dissent.
“President Trump has Jamal Khashoggi’s blood on his hands,” said Raed
Jarrar, advocacy director for DAWN, a U.S.-based group advocating for
democracy and human rights in the Arab world that was founded by
Khashoggi.
Rolling out the red carpet
Trump warmly received Prince Mohammed when he arrived at the White House
Tuesday morning for a pomp-filled arrival ceremony that included a
military flyover and a thundering greeting from the U.S. Marine band.
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President Donald Trump shakes hands with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman during a dinner in the East Room of the White
House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex
Brandon)
Technically, it wasn't a state visit, because the crown prince is
not the head of state. But Prince Mohammed has taken charge of the
day-to-day governing for his father, King Salman, 89, who has
endured health problems in recent years.
Later, Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcomed the crown prince
for a black-tie dinner in the White House East Room. The boldface
names who attended included Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, tech
entrepreneur Elon Musk and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Trump at the dinner announced he was designating Saudi Arabia as a
major non-NATO ally. The designation, while largely symbolic,
provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of
defense, trade and security cooperation.
The president also announced that the two leaders had signed a new
defense agreement, but the White House did not immediately release
details of the pact. Ahead of the visit, the Saudis had signaled
they were looking for formal assurances from Trump defining the
scope of the U.S. military protection for the kingdom.
“A stronger and more capable alliance will advance the interests of
both countries,” Trump said. “And it will serve the highest interest
of peace.”
Fighter jets and business deals
On the eve of Prince Mohammed's arrival, Trump announced he had
agreed to sell the Saudis F-35 fighter jets despite some concerns
within the administration that the sale could lead to China gaining
access to the U.S. technology behind the advanced weapon system. The
White House announced the two leaders formalized the F-35 agreement
Tuesday as well as a deal for the Saudis to purchase nearly 300
tanks from the U.S.
They also signed agreements signifying closer cooperation on capital
markets and critical minerals markets, as well as efforts against
money laundering and terrorist financing.
Trump's announcement on the fighter jets was surprising because some
in the Republican administration have been wary about upsetting
Israel’s qualitative military edge over its neighbors, especially at
a time when Trump is depending on Israeli support for the success of
his Gaza peace plan.
Abraham Accord talks
The visit comes at a moment when Trump is trying to nudge the Saudis
toward normalizing relations with Israel.
The president in his first term had helped forge commercial and
diplomatic ties between Israel and Bahrain, Morocco and the United
Arab Emirates through an effort dubbed the Abraham Accords.
Trump sees expansion of the accords as essential to his broader
efforts to build stability in the Middle East after the two-year
Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Getting Saudi Arabia — the largest Arab
economy and the birthplace of Islam — to sign on would spur a domino
effect, he argues.
But the Saudis have maintained that a path toward Palestinian
statehood must first be established before normalizing relations
with Israel can be considered. The Israelis remain steadfastly
opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.
“We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be
sure that we secure a clear path of a two-state solution,” Prince
Mohammed said.
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AP writers Josh Boak, Fatima Hussein, Seung Min Kim, Michelle L.
Price and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
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