President Donald Trump factors to a reporter as he meets Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman within the Oval Office of the White House, on November 18, 2025, in Washington. | Photo Credit: AP
Mr. Trump moved to consolidate his rising bromance with the de facto Saudi chief, giving him a parade of troopers on horseback and a navy flypast that includes F-35 jets that he mentioned Washington would quickly promote to Riyadh.
Opening their White House assembly with reward for the Prince’s “unbelievable” human rights report, Mr. Trump dismissed the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, saying “issues occurred” and calling the lifeless journalist “extraordinarily controversial.”
Mr. Trump additionally raged at a reporter, accusing her of “embarrassing” Prince Mohammed along with her questions over the homicide — which U.S. intelligence has advised the Prince permitted — and saying the visiting royal knew “nothing about it.”
The Saudi Prince responded by saying the homicide and dismemberment of Khashoggi contained in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was a “big mistake,” whereas insisting it had been absolutely investigated.
The inheritor to the throne then delighted Mr. Trump by asserting that he was growing the $600 billion Saudi funding he promised Mr. Trump when the U.S. president visited the nation in May.
“We can announce that we’re going to enhance that $600 billion to virtually $1 trillion for funding,” Prince Mohammed mentioned within the Oval Office.
A grinning Mr. Trump requested him to verify the determine, to which the Saudi royal replied: “Definitely.”
Rose Garden tour
Mr. Trump pulled out all of the stops for the Saudi Prince, giving him remedy usually reserved for a state go to to the White House, although he isn’t a head of state.
He welcomed the Prince — who’s broadly often called MBS — on the South Lawn of the White House as cannon fireplace boomed out, earlier than they watched the noisy flypast by U.S. navy jets.
The 79-year-old Republican then confirmed the prince a brand new gallery of presidential portraits by the Rose Garden — together with one portraying his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden as an autopen.
Mr. Trump has accused an ageing Mr. Biden of utilizing the automated gadget to signal presidential pardons, and questioned their legality.
Later within the day First Lady Melania Trump will maintain a gala dinner.
Portugal soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who performs in Saudi Arabia, will even be on the White House for the gala day of occasions, a White House official informed AFP.
The President has made a precedence of boosting ties with the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, notably as he seeks to show the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza right into a longer-lasting regional peace.
Mr. Trump mentioned he had pushed the prince to normalise relations with Israel as a part of the Abraham Accords that he launched in his first time period.
Prince Mohammed mentioned he was working to take action “as quickly as doable” however insisted on securing a “clear path of two-state resolution” for a Palestinian state first.
‘Destroyed my life’
Mr. Trump in the meantime reiterated his intention to promote Saudi Arabia coveted F-35 stealth fighters, regardless of issues from Israel and warnings from U.S. officers that China may steal technological information in regards to the jets.
In one other space of previous competition, Mr. Trump will signal a deal on a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation, a U.S. official and a supply aware of the negotiations mentioned.
The 40-year-old Prince has fostered shut ties with Mr. Trump and his household through the years, together with via funding pledges to the property billionaire-turned-U.S. president.
But the shadow of Khashoggi’s homicide throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period, which sparked international outrage and chilled relations between Washington and Riyadh for years, hung over the assembly.
Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, informed CNN that her husband’s killing had “destroyed my life.”
“I hope they take a look at the American values of human rights and (democracy)” in addition to any deal and promoting weapons, she mentioned.
Published – November 19, 2025 12:04 am IST
