'Things happen': Trump defends Saudi Crown Prince after ‘embarrassing’ question about murder of journalist
Donald Trump defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after a reporter asked him about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
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As the President welcomed Mohammed bin Salman at the White House yesterday, a journalist asked him about claims by US intelligence that he likely directed agents to carry out the killing of the dissident journalist in 2018.
ABC News’s Mary Bruce asked him to respond to the claims he ‘orchestrated’ the killing. Mohammed bin Salman, who has denied any involvement, said: “It was 'really painful to hear anyone losing his life for no real purpose or not in a legal way.
“And it's been painful for us in Saudi Arabia. We did all the right steps of investigation, etc., in Saudi Arabia. And we've improved our system to be sure that nothing happened like that.”
Mr Trump was angered by the line of questioning, replying: “You're mentioning someone [Khashoggi] 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 [bin Salman] knew nothing about it.”
“You don't have to embarrass our guest.”
Khashoggi, who lived in Virginia and worked as a columnist for the Washington Post, was invited to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he was ambushed, suffocated and hacked to pieces in 2018. His remains have never been found.
The US-Saudi relationship had been sent into a tailspin by the operation targeting Mr Khashoggi, a fierce critic of the Saudi leadership, that US intelligence agencies later determined Prince Mohammed likely directed the agents to carry out.
Mr Trump's family has a strong personal interest in the kingdom. In September, London property developer Dar Global announced that it plans to launch Trump Plaza in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
It is Dar Global's second collaboration with the Trump Organisation, the collection of companies controlled by the US president's children, in Saudi Arabia. Last year, the two companies announced the launch of Trump Tower Jeddah.
Mr Trump pushed back on the notion on Tuesday that there was a conflict of interest.
"I have nothing to do with the family business," he said, adding that his family has relatively little interest in the kingdom.
The leaders will end their day with an evening White House event, organised by first lady Melania Trump, to honour the prince.
Mr Trump praised Prince Mohammed as they appeared before news media.
"We have a (sic) extremely respected man in the Oval Office today," Mr Trump said, calling the prince "a friend of mine for a very long time".
Mr Trump also praised the prince's father. Prince Mohammed has taken charge of the day-to-day governing for his father, King Salman, 89, who has endured health problems in recent years.
Yesterday it emerged Donald Trump had snapped at a female reporter and told her to be “quiet, piggy” as he answered questions about Jeffrey Epstein on board Air Force One.
The US president's angry response was caught on camera as he travelled back to Washington on Friday.
His outburst was targeted at a Bloomberg journalist Catherine Lucey, who had asked him why he did not want to release the remaining Epstein files.
Her line of questioning infuriated the American leader, who singled her out from the press pack by pointing at her face and barking: "Quiet, quiet piggy."
A clip of this short interaction has been circulated by Trump's critics, with left-leaning political organisation Occupy Democrats saying: "This is the President of the United States.
"This is how he talks to the press and other adults that he is supposed to lead. America can do so much better!"