President Donald Trump greeted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House with full ceremonial honours, including a gun-salute and joint appearance in the Oval Office, framing a strong U.S.–Saudi partnership.
In remarks during the visit, Trump defended the Crown Prince over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, stating the prince “knew nothing about it” even as U.S. intelligence assessed otherwise. The president also dismissed a reporter’s question about the killing as “embarrassing,” saying the network’s licence should be revoked.
While the visit underscored major economic and strategic agreements—including Saudi investment pledges and U.S. arms sales—critics pointed to the human-rights implications and called the visit a troubling signal about U.S. accountability for overseas abuses.