Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 – if those words are buzzing in your feed right now, you’re not alone. Yesterday, on November 18, 2025, the White House rolled out the red carpet (literally) for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and what should have been a routine photo-op turned into a jaw-dropping moment when a reporter dared mention Jamal Khashoggi’s brutal 2018 murder. President Trump’s response? A casual brush-off that left jaws on the floor and social media exploding. Let’s unpack this wild day in diplomacy, because trust me, the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 are going to be talked about for weeks.
Imagine this: fighter jets roaring overhead, a horse-mounted honor guard, flags waving – it felt more like a victory parade than a bilateral talk. But underneath the pomp, the ghost of Jamal Khashoggi loomed large. For anyone new to this saga, Khashoggi was a respected Washington Post columnist and U.S. resident who walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul back in 2018… and never walked out. U.S. intelligence later concluded MBS approved the crown prince approved the operation that led to his gruesome killing. Yet here we are in 2025, and during the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025, the president basically said, “Things happen.”
The Backstory: Why the Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025 Matter So Much
You can’t understand the shockwaves from the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 without flashing back to 2018. Jamal Khashoggi wasn’t just any journalist; he was a Saudi insider turned critic who used his platform to call out corruption and human rights issues in the kingdom. His murder – involving a team of Saudi agents, bone saws, and a cover-up that unraveled spectacularly – sent global outrage through the roof. Even Trump in his first term shielded MBS, famously saying “maybe he did, maybe he didn’t” while prioritizing arms deals.
Fast-forward to Trump’s second term, and relations have thawed faster than ice cream on a Riyadh summer day. Trump visited Saudi Arabia in May 2025, securing a whopping $600 billion investment pledge. MBS’s return visit on November 18 was meant to supercharge that – and boy, did it, with announcements pushing toward $1 trillion in U.S. investments. But the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 reminded everyone that some stains don’t wash out easily.
What Exactly Went Down in the Oval Office During Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025?
Picture the scene: Trump and MBS sitting side by side, all smiles, talking mega-deals on AI, defense, and energy. Then ABC News’ Mary Bruce asks MBS directly about the U.S. intelligence report pinning Khashoggi’s death on him. Trump’s face changes. He jumps in: “You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about. Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it. And we can leave it at that.”
Things happen? Really? That’s the line that lit up the internet during the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025. Trump even scolded the reporter for “embarrassing our guest” and suggested her network should lose its license. MBS, staying cool, called the murder “painful” and a “huge mistake,” insisting Saudi Arabia investigated fully and reformed its systems. But Trump’s defense – claiming MBS “knew nothing” – directly contradicted the 2021 declassified CIA assessment that MBS approved the kill.
It’s classic Trump: blunt, unfiltered, and laser-focused on the art of the deal. Why dwell on a seven-year-old tragedy when there’s trillions on the table? That’s the vibe that defined the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025.
Breaking Down Trump’s Exact Words in Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025
Let’s get specific because the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 deserve a close read. When pressed, Trump said Khashoggi was “extremely controversial” and implied his unpopularity somehow contextualized the murder. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman,” he added. Rhetorical question: Since when does being controversial justify assassination? It’s like saying a referee made a bad call in a game, so the losing team gets to take him out – absurd analogy, but it captures how tone-deaf it felt to many.
Trump doubled down: “He’s done a phenomenal job” referring to MBS’s leadership. Phenomenal in modernizing Saudi Arabia, sure – women’s driving rights, entertainment reforms – but phenomenal in brushing aside a journalist’s slaughter? The Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 highlighted this transactional worldview: alliances over accountability.
MBS’s response was measured: “It’s really painful to hear anyone losing his life for no real purpose… We’ve improved our system.” Fair enough on paper, but critics point out those “improvements” haven’t led to full transparency or justice for Khashoggi’s family.
Reactions to Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025: Firestorm Ensues
The backlash was immediate. Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, fired back on social media and in interviews: “There is no justification to murder my husband… Jamal was a good, transparent, and brave man.” She even offered to meet Trump personally for the “right idea” about her late husband. Heartbreaking, right? Human rights groups like Amnesty International slammed the comments as “chilling,” while some Republicans praised Trump’s “realpolitik” approach.
On the flip side, Trump supporters argued the president was right to move on – Saudi Arabia is a key ally against Iran, a massive oil player, and now a tech investor. Why let one bad apple spoil the trillion-dollar bunch? The Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 perfectly illustrated America’s eternal tug-of-war: ideals versus interests.

Why Did Trump Downplay It? The Bigger Picture Behind Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025
Look, diplomacy isn’t Sunday school. Trump has always been transactional – remember his first term when he vetoed Congress’s attempts to punish Saudi over Khashoggi? In 2025, with China rising and Middle East tensions boiling, locking in Saudi cash and cooperation makes strategic sense. Announcements from the meeting included:
- Upgrading Saudi to major non-NATO ally status
- Potential F-35 jet sales (big win for U.S. defense firms)
- Deals on AI, nuclear energy, and critical minerals
Trump hailed MBS for “incredible” human rights progress. Controversial? Absolutely. But in the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025, “things happen” became code for “let’s talk business.”
How the Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025 Compare to Past Incidents
This isn’t Trump’s first rodeo defending MBS. Back in 2018, he said Saudi Arabia was a “spectacular ally” despite the murder. Biden called Saudi a “pariah” on the campaign trail but fist-bumped MBS in 2022 when gas prices spiked. Hypocrisy all around? Kind of. But Trump’s 2025 comments felt bolder, more dismissive – no hedging, just straight denial of MBS’s involvement.
Analogy time: It’s like ignoring a massive elephant in the room because the elephant brought gifts. The Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 showed Trump’s style hasn’t changed: protect allies who deliver.
Global Implications of Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025
The ripple effects are huge. Israel nervously watches F-35 talks – they want exclusivity on those jets. Iran sees a stronger U.S.-Saudi axis as a threat. And press freedom advocates worry the message is clear: Kill a journalist, wait a few years, invest big, and you’re back at the White House table.
Yet Saudi Arabia has changed under MBS: Vision 2030 is real, with tourism booming and women gaining rights. Is downplaying Khashoggi the price of progress? The Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 forced that uncomfortable question front and center.
What Khashoggi’s Legacy Means in Light of Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025
Jamal wasn’t a radical; he wanted reform, not revolution. His columns pushed for free speech in a kingdom cracking down on dissent. The Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 felt like salt in an open wound for journalists worldwide. As one Post editor put it, dismissing a colleague’s murder as “things happen” chills the soul.
But let’s be real – geopolitics rarely rewards moral purity. Trump’s approach might secure jobs and security, even if it means swallowing hard on human rights.
The Deals Announced: Beyond the Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025 Drama
Amid the controversy, massive wins were inked:
- Saudi pledged up to $1 trillion in U.S. investments (up from $600B)
- Defense pacts, AI collaboration, civil nuclear tech
- Talks on Abraham Accords expansion – MBS wants a clear path to Palestinian statehood first
Trump called it “historic.” Critics called it blood money. You decide.
Public Opinion Split on Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025
Polls? Too early, but X (formerly Twitter) is a warzone. #ThingsHappen trended alongside #JusticeForJamal. Trump’s base loves the tough-guy diplomacy; independents are split; progressives are furious. The Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 exposed America’s divided soul on foreign policy.
Conclusion: What the Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025 Tell Us About America’s Priorities
The Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 weren’t just a gaffe – they were a statement. In Trump’s world, strongmen who deliver get passes; controversies get shrugged off with “things happen.” It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s polarizing. Whether you see it as pragmatic genius or moral bankruptcy, one thing’s clear: U.S.-Saudi ties are stronger than ever, and Jamal Khashoggi’s ghost couldn’t derail that.
As global power shifts, moments like the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 force us to ask: What price are we willing to pay for security and prosperity? Food for thought next time you fill up your tank or check your 401(k).
FAQs About Trump MBS Meeting Jamal Khashoggi Murder Comments 2025
1. What exactly did Trump say about Jamal Khashoggi during the 2025 MBS meeting?
During the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025, President Trump called Khashoggi “extremely controversial,” said “a lot of people didn’t like” him, claimed MBS “knew nothing about it,” and dismissed the topic with “things happen.”
2. How did MBS respond to questions about Khashoggi in the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025?
MBS called the murder “painful” and a “huge mistake,” stressed Saudi Arabia’s investigation and reforms, but avoided direct responsibility during the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025.
3. Why is the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025 controversial?
The comments contradicted U.S. intelligence findings that MBS approved Khashoggi’s killing, appearing to prioritize massive Saudi investments over accountability in the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025.
4. What deals were announced alongside the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025?
Saudi Arabia upped its U.S. investment pledge to nearly $1 trillion, with agreements on defense, AI, and nuclear tech overshadowing the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025.
5. How did Khashoggi’s family react to Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025?
Jamal Khashoggi’s widow called Trump’s remarks unjustified, saying there is “no justification to murder my husband” and offered to meet the president personally after the Trump MBS meeting Jamal Khashoggi murder comments 2025.
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