President Donald Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House on Tuesday, marking the prince’s first visit in seven years and signaling a renewed closeness between the two leaders. During the meeting, Trump dismissed U.S. intelligence findings that concluded the crown prince likely had a role in the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The president described Khashoggi as extremely controversial and stated that the crown prince knew nothing about the incident.
The killing of Khashoggi had strained relations between the two countries, but both leaders emphasized that the partnership has strengthened since then. Prince Mohammed called the death a painful mistake and said Saudi Arabia took appropriate steps to investigate. Trump praised the crown prince for actions on human rights, though he did not offer specific examples.
The crown prince announced that Saudi investment in the United States would rise to 1 trillion dollars, an increase from the previously stated 600 billion. He described the U.S. as the hottest destination for global investment and highlighted long-term opportunities.
Questions were raised about potential conflicts of interest due to business ventures involving Trump’s family in Saudi Arabia. Trump said he has no involvement in his family’s business activities.
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