Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had no knowledge of the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Speaking at the White House while welcoming the crown prince, Trump dismissed suggestions of his involvement, calling Khashoggi a 'controversial figure' and saying there was no need to embarrass their guest. His remarks contradict a 2021 U.S. intelligence report released under President Joe Biden’s administration, which concluded that the crown prince approved a plan to capture or kill Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The crown prince has consistently denied the allegations, describing the killing as 'painful' and asserting that Saudi Arabia conducted a proper investigation. This visit marks his first trip to the United States since the murder, which had strained U.S.-Saudi relations and led to sanctions against several Saudi officials, though not against the crown prince himself.