Trump Defends Mohammed bin Salman, Rejects U.S. Intelligence Finding That MBS Ordered Jamal Khashoggi's Murder

At a high-profile Oval Office meeting, former President Donald Trump publicly defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman when reporters raised the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Trump interrupted questioning, called the query an embarrassment, and labeled Khashoggi "extremely controversial".

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He insisted the crown prince "knew nothing about it" and used the phrase "things happen" to downplay the episode while rebuking a reporter as "fake news".

The visit featured a lavish, state-style reception that signaled a political reset between Washington and Riyadh.

The White House reception underscored the wider strategic and economic agenda behind the visit.

Trump and MBS touted large Saudi investment pledges and major defense cooperation, including signals that Riyadh would be permitted to buy U.S. F-35 fighter jets.

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Coverage across outlets described ceremonies—cannon salutes, military band, South Lawn greeting and a fly-past—that framed the visit as a near-state occasion.

Reports linked the choreography to announcements about up to roughly $1 trillion in Saudi investment commitments and potential F-35 sales.

U.S. intelligence in a declassified 2019/2021 assessment concluded that Mohammed bin Salman likely approved an operation in Istanbul to capture or kill Jamal Khashoggi, citing his control over the security apparatus and involvement of close advisers.

“It's the first time MBS has come to the U”

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Mohammed bin Salman denied ordering the killing, called the episode painful, and Saudi officials offered explanations about prosecutions and reforms, while President Trump and several media outlets relayed his denials in real time.

Other outlets and the U.S. intelligence community reiterated the assessment that he approved the operation, creating a persistent split between the administration’s public defense and the intelligence finding that was highlighted repeatedly in reporting.

Reactions were sharply divided.

Khashoggi's widow, rights groups, and many news organizations criticized the prince's warm reception and Trump's dismissal of the intelligence, calling for accountability and compensation.

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The National Press Club and others rebuked Trump's comments as dangerous for press safety.

By contrast, some commentators and pro-government Saudi narratives echoed the prince's characterization of the death as a 'huge mistake' or 'painful' and framed the visit as essential to U.S.-Saudi strategic and economic ties.

These diverging reactions shaped the post-visit coverage and political fallout domestically and internationally.

Coverage diverged in what outlets emphasized and omitted, with some stressing transactional elements like investment pledges, F-35 sales, and AI cooperation.

“Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a lavish White House welcome from President Donald Trump, underscoring a deepening US–Saudi relationship centered on big investments and closer strategic ties”

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Other outlets foregrounded legal and moral accountability for Khashoggi's killing and persistent human-rights concerns in Saudi Arabia.

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Western mainstream media tended to balance a ceremonial reset with intelligence contradictions.

West Asian outlets frequently underscored local reactions and MBS's denials, while Western alternative outlets highlighted activist condemnation and potential conflicts of interest tied to Trump's business pursuits.

Those editorial choices shaped readers' perceptions about whether the visit represented diplomacy, impunity, or a geopolitical reset.

Examples include Foreign Policy noting a 'warm welcome' focused on deals, The Guardian calling it a 'warm public meeting' that marked a major rapprochement, and Common Dreams criticizing reporters as 'embarrassing' or 'fake news'.