ð Share this article Donald Trump Dismisses Khashoggi Assassination Amid Saudi Arabian Crown Prince's Presidential Meeting Former President Trump appeared to shrug off the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, describing him as an "extremely controversial" person who was unpopular. Oval Office Discussion with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince The remarks were delivered during a presidential session alongside Prince Mohammed, representing his inaugural appearance since Khashoggi's murder in Istanbul. US intelligence assessed that the prince had ordered the operation, yet the former president insisted that the crown prince "knew nothing" regarding it. The Former President's Reaction to Reporter's Question Trump additionally attacked the news professional who brought up the issue, implying that the network deserve to lose its license. "Many people were not fond of that person you're talking about," Trump commented. "Regardless of your opinion, events unfolded, but he knew nothing." The Saudi leader replied, "It's painful and it's a huge mistake, and we are working hard to ensure such incidents in future." Economic Arrangements and Defense Transactions The meeting additionally showcased planned Saudi funding in the United States, originally presented at six hundred billion dollars, however potentially expanded to one trillion dollars. Trump confirmed his plan to supply sophisticated F-35 planes to the Saudis, despite objections by Israeli officials as well as intelligence communities. Both leaders also confirmed talks about a prospective agreement for Riyadh to establish diplomatic links with Tel Aviv in exchange for a sovereign Palestine. Regional Tensions and Challenges The proposed sale of F-35s has triggered anxiety in Israel, which has exclusive access to the stealth fighter locally. US intelligence are also worried given Riyadh's strong military cooperation with China, highlighting concerns regarding intellectual property risks. Nevertheless, Trump maintained that Riyadh is entitled to the same advanced specification planes as Israel, noting them being "strong partners" of America. Additional Agreements In addition to weapons sales, US officials noted plans of multi-billion Saudi funding in the US AI sector, along with greater cooperation in atomic energy projects. "We confirm that we are increasing that $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion," the crown prince announced. Political Issues The Trump team is also seeking a nuclear and security cooperation agreement with the kingdom, which President Biden's team previously attempted unsuccessfully to secure. But, the ongoing situation, including the Hamas attack followed by later Israeli military actions in the region, have made difficult the likelihood of normalization. "Following the attacks, in my view the cost for the kingdom to sign up to normalization with Israel has risen significantly," a one-time US Middle East negotiator commented. Future Negotiations "We wish to participate the normalization agreements, yet we also want to ensure a clear path toward Palestinian statehood," the Saudi leader remarked. The former president agreed, stating, "We conducted a very good discussion on the Abraham Accords. We talked about various options." "We covered about many topics quickly. We'll be discussing it further," Trump concluded. "Yet, in my view you hold a strong understanding regarding normalization." Criticism Over Business Interests The encounter additionally disputed over alleged connections between the Trump family's commercial ventures with Gulf nations. Trump denied the possibility of conflict of interest, asserting he had "relinquished control from his business empire" and dedicated "full attention" to his role. "I am not connected to do with the family business," he said. "Their business dealings is acceptable. They work globally. They've done very little in the kingdom, actually. I'm sure they have potential. And anything they've done has been successful."