WATCH: Asked about Khashoggi murder, Trump says 'things happen' and MBS 'knew nothing about it' - PBS NewsHour

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During an Oval Office meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Donald Trump dismissed the 2018 killing of a Washington Post journalist, saying, “things happen.”

In response to a question about whether it was appropriate for Crown Prince Mohammed to visit the the White House given U.S. intelligence concluding he likely played some role in the murder, Trump instead called the late journalist Jamal Khashoggi “extremely controversial.”

“A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” Trump told a reporter. “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen.”

Trump claimed that the crown prince “knew nothing about it,” directly contradicting the findings of the U.S. intelligence community.

“We can leave it at that. You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that,” Trump added.

Trump also rejected the claim that he’s profiting from family business dealings in Saudi Arabia, saying his company doesn’t deal with that country much and adding that he’s distanced himself from operations. Trump has placed his business interests in a trust controlled by his son, rather than a blind trust, as most modern presidents have done.

Crown Prince Mohammed’s visit to the White House on Tuesday was his first since Khashoggi’s murder. The Saudi leader announced during their meeting that his country was increasing its planned investment in the U.S. to $1 trillion, up from $600 billion he had pledged when Trump visited the Middle East in May. - Aired on 11/18/2025.