Overview: President Trump downplayed the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi while hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, rejecting intelligence findings that implicated the prince. The visit highlighted Saudi pledges to invest heavily in the U.S. (initially $600bn, potentially near $1tn), plans to pursue F-35 sales to Riyadh, and talks about Saudi normalisation with Israel linked to a two-state solution. Observers say the Israel-Palestine conflict and concerns over technology security and conflicts of interest complicate the diplomatic picture.
Trump Dismisses Khashoggi Killing as Saudi Crown Prince Visits White House — F-35 Sales, $1tn Investment and Israel Talks
Overview: President Trump downplayed the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi while hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, rejecting intelligence findings that implicated the prince. The visit highlighted Saudi pledges to invest heavily in the U.S. (initially $600bn, potentially near $1tn), plans to pursue F-35 sales to Riyadh, and talks about Saudi normalisation with Israel linked to a two-state solution. Observers say the Israel-Palestine conflict and concerns over technology security and conflicts of interest complicate the diplomatic picture.
06:25 AM, 11/19/2025Politics
President Donald Trump downplayed the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi as he welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House for the prince’s first visit since the killing. Trump rejected U.S. intelligence assessments that implicated the crown prince, calling Khashoggi "extremely controversial" and saying "things happen," while insisting the prince "knew nothing about it."
Khashoggi and accountability
When a reporter raised the Khashoggi case, Mr. Trump criticized the question and suggested the outlet involved should face consequences, repeating his view that "a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman" and concluding, "Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it," referring to the crown prince. Prince Mohammed acknowledged the episode, calling it "painful" and "a huge mistake," and said Riyadh was working to ensure it would not happen again.
Arms sales and investment pledges
Trump emphasized Saudi commitments to invest heavily in the U.S. economy, citing an initial figure of $600 billion that Prince Mohammed said could ultimately approach $1 trillion. The president also confirmed plans to move forward with a possible sale of advanced F-35 stealth fighters to Riyadh, despite objections from Israeli officials and warnings within parts of the U.S. intelligence community.
Israeli officials have expressed anxiety about Saudi access to the F-35 — currently operated in the region only by Israel — and some U.S. intelligence voices worry about technology security given Saudi ties to other global partners. Trump responded that the Saudis were "great allies" and suggested they should be eligible for "top of the line" equipment similar to other allies.
Abraham Accords, Israel and the Palestinians
Both leaders said they discussed a potential Saudi normalisation with Israel tied to a U.S.-backed commitment to a two-state solution, which would imply a path toward Palestinian statehood. That prospect has been complicated by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza, which has reportedly resulted in very high civilian casualties. "After 7 October I think the price for Saudi sign-up to normalisation with Israel has gone way up," said Aaron David Miller, a former U.S. Middle East negotiator.
Economic and nuclear cooperation
Beyond arms sales, U.S. officials said they expect Saudi capital to flow into American industries including artificial intelligence and that Washington and Riyadh are discussing deeper collaboration on civilian nuclear power development in Saudi Arabia.
Business ties and ethics concerns
The visit renewed scrutiny over potential overlaps between the president’s private business interests and his official duties. The Trump Organization has said Mr. Trump stepped back from day-to-day management and placed assets in a trust, but critics argue he should divest completely or use a blind trust. Meanwhile, members of the Trump family business have reportedly been engaged in talks about potential large-scale investments involving Saudi entities.
The meeting combined pomp — mounted troops, a flypast of fighter jets and ceremonial honors — with high-stakes diplomacy: arms deals, trade and investment promises, and sensitive regional negotiations that could reshape Middle East alignments. The encounter is likely to deepen debate in the U.S. about how to balance strategic partnerships, human rights accountability, and national-security risks tied to advanced weaponry.