Trump, Eyeing Deals, Says MBS ‘Knew Nothing’ About Khashoggi

US President Donald Trump speaks with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia as he arrives to the White House in Washington on Nov. 18.Photographer: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

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By Sam Dagher and Kate Sullivan

November 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM UTC

Updated on

November 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM UTC

US President Donald Trump said Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “knew nothing about” the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as the pair met to announce a deepening of economic ties at the White House.

“A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” Trump said when asked about Khashoggi alongside the Saudi prince in the Oval Office. “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that.”