US President Donald Trump has brushed off a question regarding the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He described Khashoggi as “extremely controversial” and suggested that bringing up the subject during his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was intended to embarrass the prince.

In the Oval Office, Trump remarked, “You’re mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. Many people did not like the gentleman you’re referring to. Regardless of whether you liked him or not, things happen.”

Trump further asserted that Prince bin Salman, who the CIA believes likely ordered the killing, was not involved in the incident.

This meeting marked the crown prince’s first visit to Washington since 2018, which occurred a few months before Khashoggi was murdered in a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

The CIA released an assessment in 2021 concluding that the prince had sanctioned the killing of the Washington Post columnist, a claim he has consistently denied.

The report stated, “We base this assessment on the Crown Prince’s control over decision-making in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key advisor and members of Mohammed bin Salman’s security detail in the operation, and the Crown Prince’s endorsement of using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi.”