Trump Defends Saudi Crown Prince, Contradicts U.S. Intelligence on Khashoggi as Big Arms, Investment Deals Announced

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump publicly defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, saying the crown prince "knew nothing" about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi — a statement that conflicts with a U.S. intelligence assessment that concluded the crown prince approved the operation.

Khashoggi controversy

U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that Mohammed bin Salman approved the capture or killing of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The crown prince has denied ordering the operation but has acknowledged ultimate responsibility as the kingdom's de facto leader. Sitting beside Trump in the Oval Office, bin Salman called Khashoggi's death "painful" and said Saudi investigators had taken the appropriate steps and implemented reforms to prevent a recurrence.

"A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about... Things happened, but he knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that," Trump told reporters.

Deals and defense ties

The visit produced a flurry of diplomatic and defense announcements. Trump said he was designating Saudi Arabia a major non‑NATO ally — a status that provides military and economic privileges but does not create automatic security commitments — and the two countries unveiled a Strategic Defense Agreement intended to strengthen deterrence in the Middle East and increase U.S.–Saudi defense cooperation.

Officials said Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase 300 U.S. tanks and the White House approved future deliveries of F‑35 fighter jets; Riyadh has requested 48 of the stealth fighters, a move that would mark the first U.S. sale of F‑35s to the kingdom and could reshape regional military balances and raise questions about preserving Israel's "qualitative military edge."

Nuclear, tech and investment pledges

The two sides signed a joint declaration concluding negotiations on civil nuclear cooperation and agreed memorandums on artificial intelligence and critical minerals. Bin Salman pledged to increase Saudi investment in the United States to $1 trillion, up from a previous $600 billion pledge, but provided no timetable or detailed plan for mobilizing the funds.

Analysts noted that assembling $1 trillion in U.S. investments would be challenging given Saudi Arabia's ongoing financing of large domestic projects that have faced cost overruns.

Reactions and context

Khashoggi's widow strongly criticized Trump's defense of the crown prince and urged the president to meet her so he could learn more about the slain journalist. Human rights groups have condemned bin Salman over the Khashoggi killing and a broader crackdown on dissent, even as the crown prince has pursued social and economic reforms under his Vision 2030 agenda.

Trump also denied any conflict of interest tied to his family's business dealings with Saudi investors, saying he stepped away from the family business and has devoted himself to the presidency. The White House reiterated that Trump placed business interests in a trust managed by his children, though he remains a beneficiary.

Reporting and sources: Steve Holland, Matt Spetalnick and Humeyra Pamuk contributed reporting; Timour Azhari provided additional coverage.