Donald Trump contradicts US intelligence on Saudi prince’s role in Khashoggi death | World News
President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had no knowledge of the 2018 killing of journal Jamal Khashoggi, despite a US intelligence assessment that found he approved the operation.
At a White House press briefing, an ABC reporter asked Trump why Americans should trust the crown prince, given that US intelligence concluded in 2021 that he ordered the capture or killing of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in anbul.
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Trump criticised ABC News as “fake news” and rejected the intelligence findings. “You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial,” he said, referring to Khashoggi, according to Reuters. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman you’re talking about. Whether you liked 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 asking something like that.”
US intelligence agencies said in their 2021 report that the crown prince approved the operation against Khashoggi. Bin Salman denied ordering the killing but accepted responsibility as Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader.
Earlier, the crown prince told reporters that Khashoggi’s death was “painful for Saudi Arabia” and a “huge make”, according to Reuters.
A video of the exchange with bin Salman was released on Tuesday.
