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One-time President Trump appeared to shrug off the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, calling him an "highly divisive" individual who was not well-liked.

White House Talks alongside Saudi Leader

The remarks were made during a White House meeting alongside Prince Mohammed, representing his inaugural appearance since the columnist's killing in Istanbul.

Intelligence officials determined that Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing, yet the former president maintained that he "knew nothing" regarding it.

Trump's Response to Reporter's Question

Trump further rebuked the news professional who brought up the matter, proposing that the network should lose its license.

"Numerous folks were not fond of that man you mention," the former president remarked. "Regardless of your opinion, things occurred, but he had no idea."

The Saudi leader stated, "It hurts and a significant blunder, and we are doing our best to stop such incidents in future."

Economic Deals and Defense Transactions

The meeting additionally showcased promised Saudi Arabian investment in America, originally presented as a $600bn package, but subsequently raised to $1 trillion.

Trump stated his aim to provide sophisticated F-35 planes to the Saudis, notwithstanding reservations by Israeli officials and US intelligence.

The pair further acknowledged negotiations regarding a possible agreement for Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Tel Aviv in return for a two-state solution.

Middle Eastern Issues and Complications

The proposed sale of F-35s has sparked concern within Israel, which has exclusive access to the F-35 in the Middle East.

Intelligence officials are also worried given Riyadh's extensive security ties with Beijing, highlighting concerns regarding technology theft.

Nevertheless, Trump stated that Riyadh deserves comparable top-level aircraft as the Israelis, citing their role as "reliable friends" of the United States.

Additional Agreements

Alongside military transactions, administration representatives noted hopes for massive Saudi Arabian capital in the US AI industry, as well as deeper partnership on atomic energy development.

"We confirm our plan to boost the initial amount to almost one trillion," Prince Mohammed announced.

Diplomatic Challenges

The Trump team is also seeking a nuclear and security arrangement with Saudi Arabia, that the Biden administration had tried unsuccessfully to achieve.

Yet, current developments, such as the Hamas attack followed by subsequent operations in the region, have made difficult the chances of normalization.

"Following the attacks, I believe the cost for the kingdom to commit to normalization with Israel has risen substantially," a former US Middle East negotiator commented.

Future Discussions

"We want to participate the normalization agreements, but we also want to guarantee a definite route toward Palestinian statehood," the Saudi leader stated.

The former president agreed, saying, "We held a very good talk regarding normalization. We spoke about various options."

"We talked about numerous issues quickly. We plan to explore it further," he concluded. "Yet, in my view you possess a strong understanding for the Abraham Accords."

Debate Over Business Interests

The encounter was also disputed due to perceived connections between the former president's family financial activities and Middle Eastern states.

The former president dismissed the possibility of impropriety, stating he has "relinquished control from his business empire" and devoted "all his efforts" to his role.

"I have no involvement with their commercial activities," he remarked. "Their actions is permissible. They work globally. They've done very little in the kingdom, in fact. I believe they could do a lot. And anything they've done has been successful."