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Ex-President Donald Trump appeared to shrug off the assassination of reporter Khashoggi, labeling him an "extremely controversial" person who was disliked.

Oval Office Talks alongside Saudi Crown Prince

The statements were delivered throughout a White House meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, representing his inaugural appearance since the columnist's killing abroad.

American spy agencies determined that Mohammed bin Salman authorized the operation, however the former president insisted that the crown prince "had no knowledge" of the incident.

Trump's Response to Reporter's Inquiry

Donald Trump also criticized the reporter who raised the issue, proposing that the media outlet deserve to lose its permit.

"Numerous folks disliked that man you mention," Trump stated. "Whether you like him or not, incidents happened, however he knew nothing."

Prince Mohammed stated, "It hurts and a major error, and we are striving to stop it from happening again."

Financial Deals and Defense Sales

The talks also highlighted promised Saudi Arabian spending in the US, initially billed at six hundred billion dollars, however potentially expanded to one trillion dollars.

Trump stated his aim to provide sophisticated F-35 stealth fighter jets to the Saudis, notwithstanding concerns from the Israeli government as well as intelligence communities.

The pair additionally revealed negotiations about a prospective deal for the kingdom to formalize ties with Israel in exchange for a two-state solution.

Regional Issues and Complications

The potential sale of F-35s has raised concern among Israeli officials, which currently possesses the stealth fighter locally.

Intelligence officials are apprehensive due to the kingdom's extensive security ties with Beijing, bringing up concerns about technology theft.

However, the former president insisted that Saudi Arabia deserves equivalent high-grade aircraft as the Israelis, noting them being "strong partners" of America.

Additional Arrangements

Besides arms deals, administration representatives noted plans for multi-billion Saudi Arabian investment in the US AI sector, along with deeper collaboration on civil nuclear power development.

"We can announce that we will raise that $600 billion to around a trillion dollars," Prince Mohammed announced.

Diplomatic Complications

The Trump government is also seeking an atomic and defense arrangement with the kingdom, which the current government previously pursued without success to secure.

Yet, recent events, such as the 2023 incident and ensuing Israeli military actions in the region, have complicated the likelihood of an agreement.

"Post-October 7, in my view the price for Riyadh to agree to diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv has risen significantly," a former American diplomat commented.

Future Talks

"We want to be part the diplomatic deals, but we require to secure a clear path for Palestinian sovereignty," the crown prince remarked.

The former president echoed, noting, "We held a very good discussion about diplomatic ties. We talked about one state, two state."

"We discussed about many topics quickly. We will continue it further," Trump concluded. "Yet, in my view you have a very good feeling for the Abraham Accords."

Criticism Regarding Financial Ties

The meeting further disputed over alleged connections involving Trump's relatives private business interests and Middle Eastern nations.

Trump dismissed the possibility of conflict of interest, stating he had "stepped away from his business empire" while dedicated "full attention" to his role.

"I have nothing with my family's enterprises," he remarked. "Their business dealings is permissible. They do business worldwide. Their activities are limited in the kingdom, actually. I expect opportunities exist. Any dealings they've had has been very good."