DONALD Trump has claimed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “knew nothing” about the brutal murder of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi.
Tensions boiled over in the Oval Office at the mention of Khashoggi as Trump labelled him “extremely controversial” just seven years after the CIA blamed bin Salman for his death.
Bin Salman – widely known as MBS – was on a visit to Washington centred around sealing an F-35 fighter jets deal that will make Saudi Arabia a Middle East powerhouse.
It marked MBS’s first visit on US soil since the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of his agents in Istanbul.
Khashoggi was believed to have been assassinated after he was vocally critical of the kingdom for some years.
A CIA report even publicly announced that MBS approved the capture or killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and Virginia resident.
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He was seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents related to his planned marriage, but was never seen leaving.
It was later reported that he was strangled by some 15 Saudi agents and his body was chopped up with a bone saw.
The assassination triggered global outrage.
MBS denied ordering the killing, but took responsibility as the de facto ruler of the Saudi kingdom.
But his warm welcome today is the latest sign that relations have recovered from the deep strain caused by Khashoggi’s murder.
A reporter quizzed both leaders in the Oval Office about Khashoggi as Trump berated the journalist who asked the question.
Trump replied: “You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial.
“A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about, whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that.
“You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question.“
A clearly uncomfortable Prince Mohammed added: “It’s painful and it’s a huge mistake, and we are doing our best that this doesn’t happen again.”
Trump greeted the Saudi dictator earlier in the day on the South Lawn of the White House followed by a flyby as the pair shared a handshake.
A tour of the president’s home then followed before they headed to the Oval Office.
They spoke behind closed doors before opening up to the media as they spoke about their growing diplomatic ties.
Trump complimented MBS calling him his good friend as they both chuckled over the US being the “hottest country in the world”.
MBS is now seeking to whitewash his regime’s global image, which is in general marred by criticism around gender equality and human rights.
He wants to cement his iron grip over the region and grow its dominance by positioning itself as a strategic ally to America.
Trump and the crown prince are set to have lunch in the Cabinet Room and attend a formal black-tie dinner later this evening.
Trump hopes to cash in on a $600 billion Saudi investment pledge made during his visit to the kingdom in May.
The pair even joked about extending this deal to a bumper $1trillion pledge in the Oval Office.
The deal was described as “historic and transformative” for both countries – and included the “largest defence sales agreement in history” with $142 billion focused on weapons.
Ahead of MBS’s arrival, the US president announced he had agreed to sell the Saudis F-35 fighter jets.
He told reporters on Monday, “We’ll be selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia, which has requested to buy 48 of the advanced aircraft.”
Beyond military equipment, the Saudi leader is seeking security guarantees, access to artificial intelligence technology and progress on a deal on a civilian nuclear program.
“The Saudis will be spending a lot of money tomorrow on the US,” a senior White House official said.”
MBS, who has stayed away from the West after the Khashoggi killing also looking to re-establish his position as a global player.
He wants to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil by investing in sectors like mining, technology and tourism.
To that end, Saudi Arabia is expected to announce a multi-billion-dollar investment in US artificial intelligence infrastructure, and the two countries will lay out details about new cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector, according to a senior Trump administration official.
In addition to White House pomp, the two nations are also planning an investment summit at the Kennedy Centre on Wednesday.
The summit will host the heads of Salesforce, Qualcomm, Pfizer, the Cleveland Clinic, Chevron and Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s national oil and natural gas company, where even more deals with the Saudis could be announced.
Trump’s $142bn Saudi arms deal
Fighter jets, expert missile systems and reaper drones are all rumoured to make up part of the $142bn defence agreement signed by Donald Trump and Mohammed bin Salman in May.
The bumper deal has been described as “historic and transformative” for both countries, according to the White House.
It also welcomes in a “new golden era of partnership” between Washington and Riyadh.
Part of the overall $600bn agreement includes the “largest defence sales agreement in history” with $142 billion focused on weapons.
Washington said it is made up of “state-of-the-art war fighting equipment” and dozens of services from US defence firms such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
Both parties have remained tight lipped over what the deal actually encompasses in terms of the weapons being exchanged.
But several reports have now unveiled what is expected to be a part of the package arms deal.
The main focus of the strengthening partnership is to help enhance Riyadh’s air, missile, and naval defences.
And ensuring “extensive training and support” is given to the Saudi armed forces, according to the White House.
- F-35 stealth fighter jets
- Lockheed C-130J military aircraft
- THAAD anti-ballistic missile defence system
- Patriot PAC-3 missile system
- MQ-9B SeaGuardian reaper drone
