Donald Trump, ignoring US intelligence reports, defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, claiming he was unaware of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. This move signals a strengthening of the strategic partnership by easing tensions in US-Saudi relations, where Trump considers the Crown Prince a key leader in West Asia.

US President Donald Trump, defying US intelligence, defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a meeting in the Oval Office, insisting that the powerful prince knew nothing about the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. His comments came after an ABC News reporter asked why Americans should trust the Crown Prince when US agencies have concluded that he approved the 2018 killing.

Trump rejects claims by US intelligence agencies
US intelligence agencies had claimed that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have been involved in the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump warmly welcomed the Saudi ruler to the White House, the official residence and office of the US President, for the first time in seven years.

The murder of Khashoggi, a sharp critic of Saudi Arabia’s policies, briefly strained US-Saudi relations. However, seven years later, these tensions appear to have been completely resolved, and Trump is calling the Crown Prince a key leader shaping the future of West Asia. Trump described Khashoggi as a “very controversial figure” and claimed that “many people did not like him.”

Prince Mohammed has denied any involvement in Khashoggi’s murder. The US President, in response to a reporter’s question in the Oval Office, in the presence of Prince Mohammed, said, “Like it or not, these things happen… But the Crown Prince knew nothing about it. Don’t embarrass our guest by asking such a question.” US intelligence agencies had concluded that the Crown Prince had authorized Khashoggi’s murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Former US President Joe Biden’s administration declassified this report in 2021, which Trump had avoided releasing during his first term. Prince Mohammed said that Saudi Arabia had taken “all the right steps” to investigate Khashoggi’s murder. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia announced an increase in investment in the US to $1 trillion, up from the previously announced $600 billion.

The Prince described the US as “the most attractive country in the world” for foreign investment. Trump welcomed the Crown Prince with military honors and held a dinner with him at the White House, attended by several global business leaders. The US President described Saudi Arabia as a “major powerhouse.” He also announced the granting of “non-NATO ally” status to the Crown Prince. During this period, the two countries signed several trade and defense agreements, including the purchase of F-35 fighter jets and nearly 300 American tanks.

What did the US intelligence agency find?
A confidential report released by the US intelligence agency in 2021 concluded that Mohammed bin Salman approved the arrest or murder of Khashoggi. The four-page report detailed how individuals close to the Crown Prince, including security and intelligence officials, played a direct role in the operation to assassinate the Washington Post columnist, who had become one of his most frequent critics.

These findings prompted the Biden administration to implement the “Khashoggi policy,” which imposed visa restrictions on individuals working on behalf of foreign governments that target dissidents, journalists, and activists through harassment, surveillance, or threats.

Despite this record, Trump’s comments on Monday made clear that he stands firmly behind the Crown Prince—even if it means contradicting US intelligence and recent allegations. This may be downplaying one of the most shocking political assassinations in history.

Human rights groups condemn Trump’s remarks
Trump’s comments defending the Saudi leader and downplaying Khashoggi’s murder were strongly condemned by human rights advocates. Raed Jarrar, advocacy director of DAWN, a group founded by Khashoggi, accused Trump of being complicit in the ongoing repression of critics in Saudi Arabia. “President Trump’s hands are stained with Jamal Khashoggi’s blood,” Jarrar said. He further said that Trump’s comments made him “a participant in every execution and imprisonment carried out by MBS to date.”