President Donald Trump sparked controversy on Tuesday by dismissing questions about the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a White House meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Things happen,” Trump said, insisting the prince had no involvement—a stance that echoes his past defenses and contrasts with U.S. intelligence assessments. The exchange unfolded as the two leaders announced a massive Saudi investment in the U.S.
The Oval Office Exchange: A Tense Moment on Human Rights
The meeting in the Oval Office was meant to celebrate economic ties, but reporters quickly pivoted to the elephant in the room: Khashoggi’s brutal murder inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Trump, seated beside the crown prince, responded with a mix of deflection and praise. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” he said of Khashoggi, calling him “extremely controversial.” He added, “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it. And would you leave it at that? You don’t have to.”
Bin Salman, often referred to as MBS, remained stone-faced, offering no direct comment on the matter. The crown prince’s visit marked his first to Washington since Trump’s 2024 election victory, signaling a thaw in relations after years of strain under the Biden administration. Trump lauded MBS as a leader who had done a “phenomenal job,” crediting him with modernizing Saudi Arabia and boosting global energy stability.
This wasn’t the first time Trump has waded into the Khashoggi controversy. Back in 2018, shortly after the killing, he publicly questioned U.S. intelligence conclusions, tweeting that the Saudi relationship was too valuable to jeopardize over one incident. Critics at the time accused him of prioritizing arms deals and oil interests over accountability.
Revisiting the Khashoggi Case: What the Evidence Shows
Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi regime, entered the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, to obtain marriage documents. He never emerged. Turkish authorities later released audio recordings suggesting he was strangled and dismembered by a team of 15 Saudi agents, including a forensic expert known as the “bone saw” specialist.
A declassified U.S. intelligence report from February 2019 concluded with “medium to high confidence” that MBS had approved the operation. The assessment, based on signals intelligence and intercepted communications, painted a picture of a premeditated hit ordered from the highest levels of Riyadh. Saudi officials have consistently denied MBS’s involvement, claiming the killing was a rogue operation gone wrong. Fifteen suspects were tried in Saudi Arabia, with five receiving death sentences—later commuted to lengthy prison terms.
Data from the case underscores the geopolitical stakes. Saudi Arabia remains the U.S.’s largest arms buyer, with deals totaling over $100 billion since 2017, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Khashoggi’s death strained those ties temporarily, leading to U.S. sanctions on 17 Saudis and a brief halt to intelligence sharing. Yet, under Trump, the alliance quickly rebounded, with a 2017 visit yielding $350 billion in promised investments.
Economic Incentives: $1 Trillion Pledge Overshadows the Past
Tuesday’s summit wasn’t just about old wounds; it was a showcase for fresh opportunities. MBS announced an expansion of Saudi investments in the U.S. from $600 billion to a staggering $1 trillion over the next decade. The funds, channeled through the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, will target infrastructure, technology, and energy projects—areas Trump has championed since returning to office.
“We have a great relationship,” Trump said, gesturing to MBS. “He’s done tremendous things for his country and for the world.” The announcement came amid rising oil prices, with Brent crude hovering around $85 per barrel this week, per Bloomberg data. Saudi Arabia, as OPEC’s de facto leader, has been pivotal in stabilizing markets, a point Trump emphasized in praising the prince’s role in countering Iran’s influence.
Analysts see the timing as strategic. With Trump’s administration pushing for energy independence and domestic manufacturing revival, Saudi cash could fund initiatives like the proposed $500 billion “Freedom Cities” project. Yet, human rights advocates warn that glossing over Khashoggi risks emboldening authoritarian tactics. Amnesty International issued a statement post-meeting, calling the remarks “a green light for impunity.”
- Key Investment Details: $1 trillion over 10 years, focusing on AI, renewables, and U.S. factories.
- Oil Market Impact: Saudi production cuts have kept prices stable, benefiting U.S. shale producers.
- Arms Trade Figures: $28 billion in U.S. sales to Saudi in 2024 alone, per the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Backlash and Reactions: A Divided Response
The “things happen” quip drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum. On Capitol Hill, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a longtime Trump ally, called it “tone-deaf,” urging a focus on accountability. “Jamal was one of us—a voice for freedom,” Graham said in a statement. Democrats, including Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), labeled it “disgraceful,” linking it to Trump’s pattern of siding with strongmen.
Social media erupted, with #ThingsHappen trending on X (formerly Twitter) within hours. Users shared clips of the exchange, many drawing parallels to Trump’s 2018 bone-saw tweet mocking the killing. One viral post from comedian Elayne Boosler read: “Arms get sawed off, legs get sawed off, heads get chopped… Whaddaya gonna do?” Progressive outlets like The Guardian decried it as a “love-in” that erased Khashoggi’s legacy.
Not all reactions were negative. Conservative commentators on Fox News praised Trump’s pragmatism, arguing that alienating MBS could empower rivals like China in the Gulf. A poll by Rasmussen Reports, released Wednesday, showed 52% of Republicans approving of the Saudi reset, versus 28% of Democrats.
Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who has campaigned for justice since 2018, tweeted: “Words cannot express the pain of hearing this dismissal again. Jamal’s murder was no accident.” The Washington Post, Khashoggi’s employer, issued a somber editorial: “This is not ‘things happen.’ This is state-sponsored murder.”
Broader Implications for U.S.-Saudi Relations
Trump’s comments fit into a larger pattern of his foreign policy: deal-making over moral posturing. During his first term, he visited Riyadh early, signing off on Yemen’s Saudi-led war despite civilian casualties exceeding 150,000, per UN estimates. Now, with Iran nuclear talks stalled and Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping ongoing, the U.S. needs Saudi leverage more than ever.
Experts like Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution warn that downplaying Khashoggi could erode U.S. credibility on human rights globally. “It sends a message: Invest big, and your sins get forgiven,” Riedel told Politico. On the flip side, the $1 trillion infusion could create thousands of jobs, bolstering Trump’s economic narrative ahead of midterms.
Saudi reforms under MBS—women’s driving rights, entertainment liberalization—have won quiet praise in Washington, but crackdowns on dissidents persist. Just last month, Human Rights Watch documented the arrest of 20 activists, including feminists who once supported the prince’s changes.
- Human Rights Snapshot: 196 executions in Saudi in 2024, highest in decades (Amnesty International).
- U.S. Aid Ties: $3.5 billion in annual military support to Saudi, unchanged since 2019.
- Global Press Freedom: Saudi ranks 166th out of 180 in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index (Reporters Without Borders).
Looking Ahead: Balancing Profit and Principle
As the dust settles from Tuesday’s summit, the Khashoggi saga reminds us of the tightrope U.S. leaders walk in the Middle East. Trump’s unfiltered style may rally his base, but it alienates allies pushing for democratic norms. With MBS’s visit underscoring economic interdependence, the question lingers: Can Washington hold Riyadh accountable without unraveling the partnership?
In the end, the “things happen” line encapsulates a presidency that favors blunt realism over polished diplomacy. Whether it strengthens or strains America’s moral standing abroad will unfold in the months ahead.
President Trump’s defense of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder, encapsulated in the phrase “things happen,” reignites debates on U.S. priorities in the Gulf. Amid a $1 trillion investment announcement, the remarks underscore enduring economic bonds but draw fire for sidelining human rights. As reactions pour in, they highlight the challenges of aligning profit with principle in foreign policy.