The widow of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi criticized President Donald Trump on Tuesday for trying to tarnish her late husband's reputation as Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.
Widow Condemns Trump For Smearing Khashoggi’s Legacy
Khashoggi, an opinion journalist for The Washington Post and a prominent critic of the Saudi leadership, was killed in 2018 inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. U.S. intelligence agencies later concluded the crown prince approved the operation, a finding he has denied while accepting overall responsibility as the kingdom's de facto ruler.
In a statement posted on X, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi directly appealed to Trump. "@potus There is no justification to murder my husband. While Jamal was a good, transparent and brave man, many people may not have agreed with his opinions and desire for freedom of the press," she wrote.
Khashoggi’s Widow Demands Apology And Financial Compensation
Khashoggi, who married the journalist in Virginia in 2018, months before he was killed, said the crown prince should meet her, apologize personally and provide financial compensation for her husband's murder, according to her statement.
As noted in a report by The Hill, she has previously submitted a letter to Trump and first lady Melania Trump, asking them to support her demands to have Khashoggi's body returned and to secure compensation, timed to the crown prince's visit to the White House.
Trump Prioritizes Saudi Ties Amid Rights Outcry
Trump, however, vigorously defended Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, as per Reuters. Sitting beside the crown prince in the Oval Office, he told reporters the Saudi leader "knew nothing" about the killing and said "a lot of people didn't like that gentleman," referring to Khashoggi. "You don't have to embarrass our guests by asking a question," Trump added, rebuking a journalist who raised the case.
The meeting highlighted the strategic weight of ties between the world's largest economy and the top oil exporter. The White House said Trump approved future deliveries of F-35 fighter jets and confirmed a Saudi agreement to buy 300 American tanks, part of a broader defense and investment agenda Trump has championed in his second term.
Washington and Riyadh also announced a Strategic Defense Agreement "fortifying deterrence across the Middle East," and a joint declaration completing civil nuclear energy negotiations that would underpin a long-term nuclear partnership. Sitting next to Trump, Mohammed bin Salman pledged to boost Saudi investment in the United States to $1 trillion from a previously touted $600 billion, though he offered no timetable or details.
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