Trump's Stance: MBS Unaware of Khashoggi's Death Despite Intelligence Report

President Donald Trump expressed on Tuesday that he believes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) was uninformed about the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. This statement comes in contradiction to findings detailed in a 2021 U.S. intelligence report that implicated bin Salman in the ordered execution.

In response to inquiries about his financial interactions with the Crown Prince, Trump described Khashoggi as a controversial figure. He remarked, 'The man you refer to was not universally liked. Regardless of personal opinions about him, events transpired that MBS wasn't aware of, and that's where we'll leave it.'

During this period, bin Salman made his initial appearance in Washington since Khashoggi's untimely death. Although the Crown Prince has continuously denied direct involvement, he accepted ultimate responsibility in a 2019 '60 Minutes' interview, acknowledging the act was committed by Saudi state operatives.

The intelligence dossier in question remarked that due to the Crown Prince's tight grip on Saudi security and intelligence services, it was improbable that such a significant operation could occur without his consent.

Following Trump's latest comments, Hanan Khashoggi, Jamal's widow, was prompted to respond. She conveyed, 'No murder can be defended, not even for my spouse.'

She highlighted that while Jamal was seen as an honest and courageous advocate for press freedom, his views weren't universally endorsed.

Trump clarified he no longer has stakes in his family's Saudi connections, asserting, 'Our dealings with Saudi Arabia have been minimal.'

Despite the controversy, Trump referred to bin Salman as his good friend, commending him on human rights matters during his visit to the White House post-Khashoggi incident.