US President Donald Trump strongly defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when questioned about US intelligence conclusions on the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump said many people disliked Khashoggi and insisted the crown prince had no involvement. He urged reporters not to embarrass the visiting Saudi leader with such questions.
Trump rejected US intelligence findings and continued to rely on Saudi denials. He stressed Saudi Arabia’s value as a major economic and strategic partner for the United States. After Khashoggi’s death, Trump said he did not want to halt large Saudi investments in the US. He also pointed out that Khashoggi was not a US citizen, while noting that the killing was disturbing.
Trump repeatedly highlighted Saudi statements over intelligence reports. In October 2018, he tweeted that the crown prince “totally denied any knowledge” of the incident. Weeks later, when CIA assessments linked the crown prince directly to the murder, Trump publicly questioned whether anyone could ever know for certain. He stated that top Saudi leaders insisted they were not involved.
In a written statement in November 2018, Trump condemned the killing but emphasized that the US relationship was with Saudi Arabia as a nation, not one individual.
