Trump Meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
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The trump-Bin Salman Meeting and the Khashoggi Killing: A Timeline and Analysis
The Meeting and Initial Reactions
On November 20, 2023, President Donald Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in the Oval Office. The meeting occurred despite significant controversy surrounding MBS’s alleged involvement in the 2018 murder of saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
When questioned by ABC News’ Mary Bruce about Khashoggi’s killing, Trump responded with Things happen
, dismissing the gravity of the situation. He also labeled Bruce and her questions as fake news
after she raised concerns about Saudi Arabia’s alleged ties to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and potential conflicts of interest related to Trump’s business dealings in Saudi Arabia.
The Khashoggi Killing: A Detailed Timeline
Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist and critic of the Saudi regime, disappeared on October 2, 2018, after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, turkey. His disappearance sparked international outrage and a Turkish investigation.
| Date | event |
|---|---|
| October 2, 2018 | Jamal Khashoggi enters the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and disappears. |
| October 17, 2018 | Saudi Arabia acknowledges Khashoggi’s death, initially claiming it was the result of a fistfight. |
| November 20, 2018 | The CIA concludes with high confidence that MBS ordered Khashoggi’s assassination. |
| February 26, 2021 | The U.S. intelligence community releases a report concluding that MBS approved the operation that led to Khashoggi’s death. |
The Turkish investigation revealed that Khashoggi was murdered and dismembered inside the consulate by a team of Saudi operatives. Evidence suggests the operation was pre-planned and carried out with the knowledge, if not direct order, of high-ranking Saudi officials.
U.S. Intelligence Assessment and Response
The U.S. intelligence community’s assessment, released