Trump dismisses Khashoggi's death while hosting Saudi crown prince

by · UPI

Nov. 18 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump dismissed a reporter's question about journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death while hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday.

The visit was the Saudi Arabian leader's first visit to the United States since the slaying of Khashoggi in 2018 left the crown prince an outsider in the international community.

Trump called Khashoggi "extremely controversial" when asked about his death, CNN reported.

The president suggested the question was intended to embarrass bin Salman and said "things happen."

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A CIA report made after the journalist's killing suggested the Saudi leader likely ordered the killing despite his denials.

Khashoggi's widow took exception to the president's comment in a statement to CNN.

"This is not justification to murder him," Hanan Elatr Khashoggi said. "Jamal was a good, transparent and brave man."

She said the crown prince should meet with her and compensate her for his death.

"Many may not have agreed with his opinions and desire for freedom of the press," Hanan Elatr Khashoggi said.

"The crown prince said he was sorry, so he should meet me, apologize and compensate me for the murder of my husband."

Tuesday's visit is part of bin Salman's effort to restore diplomacy within the greater international community after the killing of Khashoggi.

During the visit, Trump announced an agreement to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

"They're going to purchase F-35s," the president said. "They're buying them from Lockheed [Martin], and it's a great plane. We make ... the best military equipment."

He said Israeli officials are aware of the deal and "they're going to be very happy," but he did not say how many stealth fighters the Saudis will purchase.

Trump said Israel and Saudi Arabia are on the cusp of finalizing a defense treaty and said both nations are strong allies of the United States and deserve to obtain the best available military equipment, according to CNN.

Andrew Leber, a non-resident fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told NBC News that even if a deal is finalized, delivery of the jets to Saudi Arabia may not happen soon.

"The devil will kind of be in the details there," he said.

A similar planned deal with the United Arab Emirates failed to come to fruition.

"That deal ultimately ran aground on a combination of U.S. concerns with maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge and concerns about the extent to which U.S. security technology might leak to China," Leber added.

Though it's bin Salman's first visit to Washington since the start of Trump's second term in office, it's not their first meeting. The crown prince welcomed Trump to Riyadh during the president's four-day tour of the region in May.

The meeting between bin Salman and Trump comes amid multiple active developments by the Trump Organization in both Jeddah and Riyadh, ABC News reported. On Monday, the Trump Organization announced a new project in the Maldives in partnership with the Saudi-linked Dar Global.