President Trump Addresses Khashoggi Killing and Saudi Ties

President Donald Trump addressed questions regarding Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during an Oval Office appearance on Tuesday.

Khashoggi Case Remarks

When questioned about the CIA's findings implicating the Crown Prince in Khashoggi's death, President Trump stated, "You're mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial... A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about." He added, "Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it." Trump then suggested, "You don't have to embarrass our guest by asking a question."

Background on Khashoggi's Death

The CIA concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation that led to the death and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi within the Saudi consulate in Turkey in 2018. The Crown Prince has consistently denied foreknowledge of the attack, describing it as "heinous" and "unjustifiable."

On Tuesday, the Crown Prince commented on the incident, stating that his country has "improved our system to be sure that nothing happened like that. And it's painful, and it's a huge mistake, and we are doing our best that this doesn't happen again."

Business Ties and Bilateral Deals

President Trump also addressed inquiries about potential conflicts of interest related to his family's business connections with Saudi Arabia while hosting Crown Prince Salman. He stated he has "nothing to do" with the family business, asserting that he "decided to leave that success behind and make America very successful."

The two leaders highlighted a proposed agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. This deal reportedly involves hundreds of billions of dollars in investments into the U.S. in exchange for Saudi access to key military and technology assets.