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Former President Donald Trump appeared to shrug off the assassination of reporter Jamal Khashoggi, calling him an "highly divisive" figure who was unpopular.

White House Talks alongside Saudi Arabian Crown Prince

The remarks came throughout a presidential gathering alongside Prince Mohammed, representing his inaugural appearance after Khashoggi's murder in Turkey.

American spy agencies determined that the Saudi leader authorized the operation, but Trump maintained that he "knew nothing" regarding it.

The Former President's Response to Journalist's Question

Donald Trump also criticized the journalist who brought up the matter, suggesting that the media outlet deserve to lose its license.

"Many people were not fond of that gentleman you mention," Trump commented. "Irrespective of personal views, incidents happened, however he knew nothing."

The Saudi leader replied, "It is distressing and a significant blunder, and we are doing our best to prevent a recurrence."

Economic Deals and Defense Transactions

The discussion additionally showcased proposed Saudi spending in the United States, first announced as a $600bn package, though later increased to one trillion dollars.

The former president stated his intention to sell top-tier F-35 stealth fighter jets to the Saudis, in spite of concerns from Israel as well as American spy agencies.

The pair further acknowledged talks on a potential arrangement for the kingdom to formalize diplomatic links with the Israeli government in exchange for a two-state solution.

Regional Issues and Challenges

The planned F-35 transaction has triggered alarm within Israel, which is the only operator of the advanced plane in the region.

Intelligence officials have expressed concern because of the kingdom's strong military cooperation with Beijing, highlighting fears over technology theft.

Nonetheless, the former president stated that the kingdom deserves the same top-level jets as Tel Aviv, pointing to their role as "strong partners" of America.

Additional Deals

Alongside arms deals, administration representatives stated plans of multibillion-dollar Saudi Arabian investment in the United States' artificial intelligence sector, as well as enhanced partnership on civil nuclear power projects.

"We can announce our plan to boost the proposed investment to around a trillion dollars," Prince Mohammed announced.

Political Complications

The Trump administration is aiming a energy and safety partnership deal with the kingdom, which President Biden's team previously attempted without success to finalize.

But, the ongoing situation, such as the Hamas attack and ensuing Israeli military actions in Gaza, have made difficult the chances of an agreement.

"Post-October 7, I believe the conditions for the kingdom to agree to normalization with Tel Aviv has risen significantly," a one-time American diplomat stated.

Prospective Discussions

"We wish to be part the normalization agreements, however we also want to guarantee a clear path toward Palestinian statehood," the Saudi leader stated.

Trump echoed, noting, "We conducted a very good talk regarding normalization. We spoke about potential solutions."

"We covered about many topics in a short time. We plan to explore more details," he added. "But I think you have a clear grasp regarding normalization."

Criticism Over Business Interests

The encounter further contentious due to perceived links involving Trump's relatives private business interests and Middle Eastern countries.

The former president rejected the possibility of conflict of interest, claiming he had "withdrawn from his enterprises" and dedicated "all his efforts" to governing.

"I have nothing to do with my family's enterprises," he remarked. "What my family does is fine. They do business globally. Their activities are limited in the kingdom, actually. I expect they have potential. And anything they've done has been very good."