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Former President Trump appeared to shrug off the killing of columnist Jamal Khashoggi, labeling him an "very contentious" individual that was not well-liked.

Oval Office Discussion alongside Saudi Crown Prince

The statements were delivered during a White House meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, representing his first visit since Khashoggi's murder in Istanbul.

American spy agencies determined that the prince authorized the operation, but Trump stated that he "knew nothing" regarding it.

Trump's Response to Reporter's Question

Trump additionally attacked the journalist who asked about the topic, implying that the broadcaster deserve to lose its license.

"A lot of individuals disliked that gentleman you mention," the former president commented. "Whether you like him or not, incidents happened, however he had no idea."

The crown prince replied, "It is distressing and a major error, and we are striving to stop a recurrence."

Economic Agreements and Defense Sales

The talks further emphasized planned Saudi funding in the US, initially billed as $600 billion, however subsequently raised to one trillion dollars.

The former president stated his intention to provide advanced F-35 aircraft to Saudi Arabia, despite objections by Israeli officials as well as American spy agencies.

Both leaders further acknowledged talks regarding a possible deal for Riyadh to establish diplomatic links with Tel Aviv conditional on a two-state solution.

Middle Eastern Issues and Challenges

The potential sale of F-35s has raised concern in Israel, which is the only operator of the advanced plane locally.

Intelligence officials are also worried because of the kingdom's extensive military cooperation with the Chinese, highlighting apprehensions about intellectual property risks.

Nonetheless, Trump stated that the kingdom is entitled to comparable top-level planes as Tel Aviv, pointing to them being "reliable friends" of America.

Additional Arrangements

Besides military transactions, US officials mentioned hopes for multibillion-dollar Saudi capital in the United States' AI industry, along with deeper partnership in civil nuclear power development.

"We are pleased to state that we will raise that $600 billion to around a trillion dollars," Prince Mohammed announced.

Diplomatic Challenges

The Trump government is aiming a nuclear and security arrangement with the kingdom, that President Biden's team previously attempted but failed to finalize.

However, recent events, including the 2023 incident followed by later bombardment in the region, have made difficult the chances of an agreement.

"Following the attacks, I think the cost for the kingdom to commit to diplomatic ties with the Israelis has increased considerably," a former peace envoy commented.

Prospective Talks

"We wish to join the diplomatic deals, however we also want to guarantee a definite route for a two-state solution," Prince Mohammed declared.

Trump concurred, noting, "We held a productive talk about diplomatic ties. We spoke about potential solutions."

"We talked about a lot in a short time. We plan to explore more details," Trump added. "Yet, in my view you possess a strong understanding regarding normalization."

Controversy Regarding Financial Ties

The encounter additionally disputed over possible overlap between the Trump family's financial activities and Gulf countries.

The former president dismissed the possibility of conflict of interest, asserting he had "stepped away from his enterprises" and devoted "full attention" to his role.

"I have no involvement with their commercial activities," he remarked. "Their actions is fine. They operate worldwide. Their activities are limited with Riyadh, in fact. I expect opportunities exist. And anything they've done has been positive."