Trump defends Saudi prince accused by CIA of journalist’s murder

This is the first visit of bin Salman to the US since Khashoggi’s murder, who was an opponent of the Saudi regime and a columnist for ‘The Washington Post’. The case strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. A CIA report pointed bin Salman as the mastermind of the crime, which was released in 2021. ‘He knew nothing about it,’ Trump said during the meeting with the prince at the White House. The president responded to a question from an ABC reporter about the Khashoggi case. Trump interrupted the journalist and didn’t let bin Salman respond. ‘You shouldn’t embarrass our guest with a question like that,’ the American said. The reporter was prevented from asking further questions. ‘ABC’s license should be revoked,’ Trump added. During the press conference in the Oval Office, Trump announced that Saudi Arabia aims to invest $600 billion in the United States. The president also confirmed a deal for the sale of the most modern F-35 fighter jets in the world. The announcement raised concerns within the US government itself, fearing that the strengthening of Saudi military power could destabilize Israel, the main US ally in the Middle East.