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One-time President Donald Trump has largely ignored the assassination of columnist Jamal Khashoggi, labeling him an "extremely controversial" person that was not well-liked.

White House Discussion with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince

The remarks came amid a White House session with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marking his first visit since the columnist's killing abroad.

US intelligence had previously concluded that the prince authorized the assassination, yet the former president insisted that the crown prince "was unaware" regarding it.

Trump's Reaction to Reporter's Inquiry

Trump further rebuked the reporter who asked about the matter, suggesting that the network should lose its permit.

"A lot of individuals were not fond of that man you are referring to," the former president stated. "Irrespective of personal views, events unfolded, yet he knew nothing."

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

Financial Deals and Defense Transactions

The meeting further emphasized proposed Saudi Arabian investment in the United States, originally presented as a $600bn package, however potentially expanded to $1 trillion.

Trump stated his aim to supply sophisticated F-35 planes to the Saudis, in spite of reservations from Israel as well as intelligence communities.

The pair additionally revealed discussions about a prospective deal for Riyadh to formalize ties with Israel in return for a Palestinian state.

Middle Eastern Issues and Challenges

The proposed F-35 transaction has triggered anxiety among Israeli officials, which has exclusive access to the stealth fighter in the Middle East.

US intelligence are apprehensive because of the kingdom's extensive defense links with China, highlighting concerns about security breaches.

Nevertheless, the former president maintained that Saudi Arabia deserves equivalent top-level aircraft as the Israelis, pointing to their status as "strong partners" of the United States.

Broader Agreements

Besides military transactions, American authorities noted expectations of multi-billion Saudi investment in the United States' AI industry, plus greater partnership in nuclear energy development.

"We can announce our plan to boost the initial amount to nearly $1 trillion," the crown prince announced.

Diplomatic Complications

The former president's government is additionally pursuing an atomic and defense cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, which the Biden administration had tried but failed to secure.

However, recent events, including the 2023 incident and subsequent Israeli military actions in Gaza, have hindered the likelihood of such a deal.

"Following the attacks, I think the price for Saudi to sign up to relations with Tel Aviv has gone up significantly," a former US Middle East negotiator remarked.

Prospective Negotiations

"We wish to join the normalization agreements, yet we additionally seek to secure a concrete plan toward Palestinian statehood," the Saudi leader declared.

Trump echoed, noting, "We've had a productive conversation about diplomatic ties. We talked about one state, two state."

"We covered about numerous issues quickly. We plan to explore additional aspects," he added. "However, I believe you possess a very good feeling for the Abraham Accords."

Debate Over Financial Ties

The meeting was also controversial over perceived overlap between Trump's relatives private business interests and Middle Eastern nations.

Trump denied the possibility of impropriety, claiming he had "stepped away from his companies" and devoted "100% of his energy" to his role.

"I am not connected regarding the family business," he said. "What my family does is acceptable. They do business globally. Their activities are limited with Riyadh, actually. I'm sure they could do a lot. Whatever they have undertaken has been positive."