Trump Defends Saudi Crown Prince over Khashoggi Murder Amidst Trillion-Dollar Investment Promise
In a significant White House meeting on Tuesday, President Donald Trump defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting that the Saudi leader knew nothing
about the incident. This comes amidst the prince's promise to increase new investments in the U.S. to $1 trillion, a move that has sparked controversy and scrutiny.
Background and Context
The Khashoggi affair, named after the Washington Post journalist who was assassinated in 2018, has overshadowed other issues during Mohammed Bin Salman's visit to the U.S., his first in over seven years. Khashoggi, a U.S.-based critic of the Saudi leadership, was killed and dismembered in Istanbul by Saudi state operatives. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that bin Salman approved the capture or killing of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a finding that Trump and his administration have rejected.
Key Developments
During the White House visit, Trump received the Saudi crown prince with a state-worthy welcome and dismissed the murder of the controversial journalist. In response to questions from reporters, Trump was quoted as saying, a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about, whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happened, but he (the prince) knew nothing about it.
At the same time, the U.S. president announced his intent to sell F-35 stealth jets to Saudi Arabia and praised the crown prince for promising almost a trillion dollars in new deals with the U.S. This move signals a major arms deal ahead of the Saudi prince's visit and is expected to deepen economic and defense ties between the two nations.
Reactions and Implications
Trump's defense of the Saudi Crown Prince drew criticism from various quarters, including the media. In contrast to former President Joe Biden, who was scrutinized for fist-bumping the Saudi prince in 2022, Trump was seen shaking hands with the Saudi leader, a move he defended by saying that the Saudi prince deserved a more formal greeting.
Ethics concerns have also been raised over the Trump family's business ties to Saudi Arabia, especially as the Saudi prince oversees a major construction project that is in talks with the Trump family business.
Conclusion
Despite the controversy surrounding the Khashoggi murder and the Saudi prince's role in it, President Trump has chosen to stand by the Saudi leader while welcoming the promise of significant investments in the U.S. As a result, the geopolitical dynamics between these two nations continue to evolve, with the potential for both economic gain and continued scrutiny.