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Former President Trump has largely ignored the 2018 murder of reporter Khashoggi, calling him an "extremely controversial" figure who was not well-liked.

Oval Office Talks alongside Saudi Arabian Crown Prince

The statements came amid a White House session with the Saudi crown prince, representing the prince's initial trip after the journalist's death in Istanbul.

American spy agencies determined that the prince was behind the killing, but Trump insisted that the prince "was unaware" about it.

The Former President's Response to Journalist's Question

Trump additionally attacked the journalist who asked about the topic, suggesting that the broadcaster deserve to lose its broadcasting rights.

"Many people disliked that gentleman you are referring to," the former president commented. "Whether you like him or not, events unfolded, but he was unaware."

Prince Mohammed replied, "It is distressing and a significant blunder, and we are striving to prevent it from happening again."

Financial Agreements and Military Transactions

The meeting also highlighted planned Saudi investment in the US, initially billed as $600 billion, but potentially expanded to $1 trillion.

The former president announced his plan to supply sophisticated F-35 aircraft to Riyadh, in spite of objections from the Israeli government and US intelligence.

Both leaders also confirmed talks regarding a possible arrangement for the kingdom to formalize ties with Israel conditional on a two-state solution.

Regional Concerns and Challenges

The planned sale of F-35s has triggered alarm within Israel, that has exclusive access to the stealth fighter in the Middle East.

Intelligence officials are apprehensive given Saudi Arabia's close military cooperation with Beijing, highlighting concerns over security breaches.

Nonetheless, Trump insisted that Riyadh deserves comparable top-level planes as Tel Aviv, noting them being "good allies" of the United States.

Broader Agreements

Besides weapons sales, administration representatives mentioned plans for multibillion-dollar Saudi capital in the US AI industry, along with enhanced cooperation on nuclear energy projects.

"We can announce our plan to boost that $600 billion to almost one trillion," the crown prince stated.

Political Issues

The Trump team is also seeking a nuclear and security partnership deal with Saudi Arabia, that the current government had tried but failed to finalize.

But, recent events, including the Hamas attack followed by subsequent operations in Gaza, have hindered the chances of such a deal.

"Following the attacks, I think the price for Saudi to sign up to diplomatic ties with Israel has increased considerably," a former peace envoy commented.

Future Negotiations

"We wish to be part the normalization agreements, however we also want to ensure a clear path for Palestinian sovereignty," the Saudi leader remarked.

Trump agreed, saying, "We held a very good conversation regarding normalization. We discussed about various options."

"We talked about numerous issues quickly. We will continue it further," Trump continued. "But I think you have a strong understanding regarding normalization."

Criticism Over Commercial Links

The meeting was also disputed because of perceived connections involving the Trump family's financial activities and Middle Eastern nations.

The former president rejected the possibility of conflict of interest, asserting he has "withdrawn from his companies" while dedicated "all his efforts" to the presidency.

"I am not connected regarding the family business," he stated. "What my family does is fine. They work worldwide. They have minimal involvement with Saudi Arabia, truthfully. I'm sure they have potential. Any dealings they've had has been positive."