🔗 Share this article

Ex-President Donald Trump appeared to shrug off the 2018 murder of journalist Khashoggi, labeling him an "highly divisive" figure who was unpopular.

Oval Office Meeting alongside Saudi Crown Prince

The remarks came throughout a presidential meeting alongside Prince Mohammed, marking the prince's initial trip since Khashoggi's murder abroad.

Intelligence officials determined that Mohammed bin Salman authorized the assassination, yet the former president stated that he "had no knowledge" about it.

The Former President's Reaction to Journalist's Question

Donald Trump also criticized the journalist who asked about the issue, implying that the media outlet deserve to lose its broadcasting rights.

"Many people were not fond of that man you mention," the former president remarked. "Regardless of your opinion, events unfolded, but he had no idea."

Prince Mohammed replied, "It's painful and it's a huge mistake, and we are doing our best to prevent it from happening again."

Economic Arrangements and Defense Sales

The meeting additionally showcased promised Saudi investment in America, initially billed at six hundred billion dollars, however subsequently raised to $1 trillion.

Trump announced his aim to supply sophisticated F-35 stealth fighter jets to Riyadh, in spite of reservations from Israel as well as American spy agencies.

The two men also confirmed discussions on a potential arrangement for Saudi Arabia to normalize diplomatic links with the Israeli government conditional on a sovereign Palestine.

Regional Issues and Complications

The planned fighter jet deal has sparked anxiety within Israel, which is the only operator of the F-35 locally.

American spy agencies are apprehensive due to the kingdom's strong security ties with the Chinese, bringing up apprehensions about technology theft.

Nonetheless, the former president maintained that the kingdom is entitled to the same top-level jets as Tel Aviv, citing their role as "good allies" of the US.

Broader Agreements

Besides military transactions, American authorities stated expectations for massive Saudi funding in the United States' artificial intelligence sector, plus enhanced cooperation on atomic energy projects.

"We confirm that we will raise the initial amount to almost one trillion," Prince Mohammed announced.

Diplomatic Issues

The former president's government is additionally pursuing a nuclear and security arrangement with Saudi Arabia, that the current government had tried unsuccessfully to secure.

However, the ongoing situation, such as the Hamas attack and later operations in Palestinian territories, have made difficult the prospects of normalization.

"After October 7, in my view the cost for Riyadh to agree to normalization with Tel Aviv has increased considerably," a one-time American diplomat stated.

Prospective Negotiations

"We want to join the diplomatic deals, but we additionally seek to ensure a concrete plan toward Palestinian statehood," Prince Mohammed remarked.

The former president echoed, noting, "We've had an excellent talk regarding normalization. We spoke about various options."

"We talked about numerous issues quickly. We plan to explore more details," he continued. "But I think you possess a clear grasp of the agreements."

Criticism Over Financial Ties

The encounter additionally controversial due to possible links between the former president's family financial activities and Middle Eastern nations.

The former president denied the possibility of impropriety, asserting he has "relinquished control from his enterprises" and committed "all his efforts" to his role.

"I have nothing with the family business," he stated. "What my family does is permissible. They do business all over. Their activities are limited with Riyadh, in fact. I expect they have potential. Whatever they have undertaken has been very good."