Trump Dismisses Khashoggi Murder During Saudi Crown Prince's White House Visit

One-time President Trump appeared to shrug off the assassination of columnist Khashoggi, calling him an "highly divisive" figure that was not well-liked.

White House Meeting alongside Saudi Arabian Leader

These comments were delivered amid a presidential session with the Saudi crown prince, marking the prince's initial trip since the journalist's death in Istanbul.

American spy agencies had previously concluded that Mohammed bin Salman authorized the killing, but Trump maintained that the crown prince "knew nothing" regarding it.

The Former President's Reply to Reporter's Question

Trump also criticized the reporter who raised the matter, suggesting that the broadcaster ought to forfeit its permit.

"Many people were not fond of that gentleman you are referring to," Trump commented. "Regardless of your opinion, incidents happened, however he knew nothing."

The crown prince stated, "It hurts and a major error, and we are working hard to stop such incidents in future."

Economic Agreements and Military Transactions

The talks further emphasized proposed Saudi investment in America, initially billed as $600 billion, however later increased to one trillion dollars.

The former president stated his intention to sell top-tier F-35 stealth fighter jets to the Saudis, despite concerns from Israel as well as US intelligence.

The pair also confirmed talks on a potential deal for Saudi Arabia to formalize relations with Tel Aviv conditional on a sovereign Palestine.

Regional Concerns and Challenges

The proposed sale of F-35s has triggered anxiety within Israel, that has exclusive access to the stealth fighter in the region.

US intelligence have expressed concern because of Riyadh's extensive security ties with the Chinese, raising concerns about security breaches.

Nevertheless, Trump insisted that Saudi Arabia deserves equivalent top-level planes as the Israelis, noting their status as "strong partners" of the US.

Broader Arrangements

Alongside military transactions, American authorities stated plans of multibillion-dollar Saudi funding in the US AI sector, along with enhanced partnership in nuclear energy projects.

"We confirm that we are increasing the initial amount to almost one trillion," the crown prince announced.

Diplomatic Complications

The former president's government is also seeking a nuclear and security arrangement with Riyadh, which President Biden's team previously pursued unsuccessfully to secure.

However, the ongoing situation, including the Hamas attack and subsequent operations in Gaza, have made difficult the prospects of such a deal.

"Post-October 7, I believe the cost for Riyadh to commit to diplomatic ties with Israel has increased considerably," a former American diplomat stated.

Future Discussions

"We want to be part the normalization agreements, however we require to secure a definite route toward Palestinian statehood," the Saudi leader remarked.

The former president concurred, saying, "We've had a productive talk about diplomatic ties. We discussed about one state, two state."

"We talked about many topics in a short time. We will continue it further," he concluded. "But I think you have a strong understanding for the Abraham Accords."

Controversy Over Business Interests

The meeting additionally contentious because of alleged connections between the former president's family financial activities and Gulf countries.

The former president rejected the possibility of impropriety, stating he had "relinquished control from his enterprises" and committed "full attention" to the presidency.

"I am not connected regarding their commercial activities," he said. "Their actions is fine. They work worldwide. Their activities are limited with Riyadh, truthfully. I'm sure opportunities exist. Any dealings they've had has been positive."