Trump Defends Saudi Crown Prince Rejects US Intel on Khashoggi Murder

US President Donald Trump publicly defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, insisting he had no role in the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, despite US intelligence findings suggesting otherwise. Trump made these remarks during an interaction with reporters, highlighting the controversial nature of Khashoggi and emphasizing the economic importance of Saudi Arabia to the United States.

Trump questioned whether anyone could truly determine the crown prince’s involvement, saying, "Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it." He added that reporters did not need to "embarrass our guest by asking a question like that," signaling one of his strongest public defenses of the Saudi leader.

Since the murder of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Trump has consistently leaned on the crown prince's denial, often giving more weight to Riyadh's statements than to assessments from US intelligence agencies. He noted that Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was "somebody that was extremely controversial" and said, "a lot of people didn’t like" him, downplaying the journalist's influence.

Trump has repeatedly stressed the strategic and economic importance of Saudi Arabia, citing defense contracts, job creation, and trade benefits as reasons to maintain strong relations with Riyadh. After Khashoggi’s killing, he said he did not want to disrupt "massive amounts of money being poured into our country" by Saudi Arabia and highlighted the kingdom as a major partner providing jobs and business opportunities.

In 2018, Trump tweeted that he had spoken with the crown prince, who "totally denied any knowledge" of the events at the Turkish consulate. He later told Fox News that he was unsure if anyone could definitively know the crown prince's role, although he acknowledged that people close to Mohammed bin Salman might have been involved.

Despite classified briefings indicating the crown prince’s involvement, Trump maintained that US relations with Saudi Arabia were vital, calling the incident a "terrible tragedy" while emphasizing that the kingdom had denied any knowledge of the murder. He also noted that the CIA did not formally confirm the crown prince’s direct role, leaving room for doubt in his public statements.

Trump’s defense of the crown prince has drawn criticism, especially from those demanding accountability for Khashoggi’s murder. He has consistently prioritized US-Saudi economic ties while framing the incident as a tragic event rather than a reflection on the crown prince personally.