Trump Defends Saudi Crown Prince Over Khashoggi Killing, Says ‘Things Happen’

United States president Donald Trump on Tuesday defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and said that he "knew nothing" about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He made the remarks as he welcomed the kingdom's de facto ruler to the White House.

Trump hailed Mohammed for his "incredible" human rights record and said "things happened" when questioned about the 2018 killing of Khashoggi. The US president criticised the reporter for accusing her of “embarrassing” the Prince with her questions over the murder, which the US intelligence claims was approved by Mohammed.

"You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial," the US president said.

"A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen."

"But he (the Crown Prince) knew nothing about it," Trump added. "You don't have to embarrass our guests."

A US intelligence report in 2021 had highlighted that the crown prince had approved the operation that led to Khashoggi's death at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. 

The prince, who is on his first visit to the US since Khashoggi’s death, said at the White House that Saudi Arabia "did all the right things" to investigate Khashoggi's death, which he called "painful".

Meanwhile, Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, told CNN that her husband’s killing had destroyed her life. “I hope they look at the American values of human rights and (democracy)” besides any deal and selling weapons, she said.

Tuesday's meeting between Trump and Mohammed bin Salman was expected to include deals on civilian nuclear power, artificial intelligence and Saudi investment in the US, which the crown prince said was being upped to $1tr (£761bn) from $600bn pledged earlier this year, BBC reported.

Both leaders also discussed the potential sale of advanced F-35 fighter aircraft to the Saudis.