Trump gives Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman elaborate White House welcome, defends him over Khashoggi murder as "things happen"

Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince MBMohammed bin Salman at the White House on Nov. 18, 2025, with elaborate military honors including fighter jet flyovers, marching bands, flag-carrying horsemen, and a black-tie state dinner. MBS arrived with a 1,000-strong entourage including ministers, security officials, and business leaders. The pomp exceeded what Trump typically provides for allied Western democracies, reflecting his focus on economic ties over human rights concerns.

When ABC reporter MBMary Bruce asked Trump about JKJamal Khashoggi's murder, Trump angrily defended MBS, saying 'things happen' and 'he knew nothing about it.' Trump called Khashoggi 'extremely controversial' and said 'a lot of people didn't like that gentleman.' The CIA concluded in 2021 that MBS approved the operation to capture or kill Khashoggi. U.S. intelligence found MBS viewed Khashoggi as a threat and broadly supported using violent measures to silence him.

MBS's visit marks his first to the U.S. since Oct. 2018, when Saudi agents killed 🌲Washington Post columnist JKJamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi was a vocal critic of MBS who fled Saudi Arabia in 2017 to live in 🏛️Virginia. He was killed and dismembered when he entered the consulate to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. His body was never recovered. A UN inquiry and CIA investigation determined 15 Saudi agents flew to Istanbul as part of an operation approved by MBS.

Trump announced he will sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia without requiring Israeli normalization. MBS announced Saudi Arabia will increase planned U.S. investments from $600 billion to closer to $1 trillion. The visit produced deals on AI cooperation, advanced computer chips, critical minerals agreements, and expanded nuclear energy cooperation. Trump's approval of F-35 sales reverses previous U.S. policy linking Saudi weapon purchases to Israel peace agreements.

Trump praised MBS's human rights record, calling what he's done 'incredible in terms of human rights.' This directly contradicts CIA findings that MBS approved Khashoggi's murder. MBS previously denied ordering the killing but acknowledged responsibility as Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler. In his Oval Office remarks, MBS called Khashoggi's death 'painful' and 'a huge mistake' but provided no specifics about his own role or accountability.

The elaborate welcome ceremony contrasted sharply with Trump's treatment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who didn't receive an honor guard during his last White House visit. Trump also opted not to greet some European Union leaders with similar honors. The selective pageantry signals Trump's priorities: economic partnerships and regional power brokers over traditional democratic allies.

Khashoggi's widow Hanan Elatr Khashoggi wrote to Trump before the visit asking for help recovering her husband's body and securing compensation as his widow. She wrote 'The murder of my husband has caused me to lose everything' and 'Much like the families in Israel, I would like to recover the remains of my husband so that I may have an appropriate religious burial ceremony.' Trump didn't publicly respond to her appeal.

The visit included a business summit at the Kennedy Center on Nov. 19 co-hosted by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment and the U.S.-Saudi Business Council. Guests at the state dinner included Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. Trump's family business announced plans for Trump International Hotel Maldives with 'Manhattan-style vibrancy.' Trump insisted he has nothing to do with his family business despite obvious conflicts of interest.