U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed on Tuesday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was unaware of the killing of U.S. resident and Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi. Trump welcomed the Saudi prince, also known as MBS, with open arms for discussions anticipated to boost the sale of F-35 fighter jets and various business agreements with Saudi Arabia.
The last time MBS visited Washington was shortly before Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi royal family and a Washington Post columnist, was murdered in Turkey in 2018. Khashoggi disappeared after entering a Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 of that year. Turkish officials alleged that his attackers strangled him, dismembered his body with a bone saw, and disposed of it, characterizing it as a premeditated act.
Despite U.S. intelligence findings implicating MBS in approving the capture or brutal killing of Khashoggi, the crown prince denied giving the order but acknowledged his accountability as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. During the visit, Trump defended MBS, stating that the prince was unaware of the incident and expressed reluctance to discuss the matter further.
MBS responded by expressing sorrow over the loss of life without a meaningful cause and vowed that Saudi Arabia had investigated the incident thoroughly to prevent any recurrence. The warm reception given to the crown prince in Washington indicates improved relations following the strained aftermath of Khashoggi’s murder.
The human rights and democracy organization, DAWN, founded by Jamal Khashoggi, protested MBS’s visit outside the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C. by displaying an LED billboard truck with the message “Mr. Bone Saw is in town and wants you to forget about his crimes.”
The rise of MBS has been marked by initiatives such as brokering peace deals, implementing social reforms, and boosting the economy. Despite invitations to events like the G7 summit, MBS did not attend, reflecting ongoing international scrutiny over the Khashoggi murder.
Trump announced progress in negotiations focusing on security collaborations, civil nuclear partnerships, and multi-billion-dollar business ventures with Saudi Arabia. Notably, Saudi Arabia is set to purchase advanced F-35 fighter jets from the U.S., marking a significant policy shift as Israel had been the sole Middle Eastern country with access to the aircraft.
The meeting between Trump and MBS underscores the strategic relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, with Trump prioritizing the alliance amid fading international concerns over the Khashoggi killing. MBS pledged to increase Saudi investment in the U.S. to $1 trillion, emphasizing ongoing efforts to bolster ties and deepen cooperation between the two nations.
