Jamal Khashoggi: A Profile of a Critical Journalist and Donald Trump's Defense of MBS

Check out the full profile of Jamal Khashoggi, the tragically murdered Saudi journalist, and the controversy behind Donald Trump's defense of Mohammed bin Salman regarding the Jamal Khashoggi case.... Selengkapnya

Liputan6.com, Jakarta On November 18, 2025, former President Donald Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to the White House, marking his first visit since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

This meeting took place despite the American intelligence community's conclusion that MBS was involved in the tragic incident.

Trump publicly defended MBS, stating that he knew "nothing" about Khashoggi's murder.

In the Oval Office meeting, Trump dismissed the US intelligence findings and called reporters' questions about them "fake news."

He even praised MBS as "extraordinary on human rights and everything" and a "very good friend."

MBS, sitting next to Trump, responded to a question about Khashoggi by stating that "it's very painful to hear that anyone lost their life for no real purpose or without legal justification."

He called the incident a "huge mistake" and asserted that Saudi Arabia had taken "all the proper investigative steps" to prevent a similar incident from happening again.

In the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump shot back at a reporter who asked a question about the killing.

"You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial," the US president said.

"A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen."

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Jamal Khashoggi Profile: A Critical Journalist

Jamal Ahmad Hamza Khashoggi is a Saudi journalist, author, and columnist born in Medina on October 13, 1958.

He comes from a distinguished family, with his grandfather, Muhammad Khashoggi, serving as the personal physician to King Abdulaziz Al Saud.

He is also the nephew of Adnan Khashoggi, the notorious arms dealer implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal.

Khashoggi received his primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia before continuing his studies in the United States.

He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Indiana State University in the early 1980s.

His journalistic career began as a correspondent for the Saudi Gazette and later expanded to pan-Arab media outlets such as Alsharq Alawsat and Arab News.

He is best known for his in-depth coverage of the Afghanistan War and the first Gulf War.

His career also included a prominent position as editor-in-chief of the newspaper 'Al Watan', although his tenure was repeatedly terminated due to his critical views of the Saudi political and religious elite.

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The Tragic Murder of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate

On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

He was ambushed and strangled by a team of 15 Saudi government agents.

This horrific event was captured on audio recordings because the consulate had been secretly wiretapped by the Turkish government.

Following the murder, Khashoggi's body was dismembered and disposed of in a manner that has not been publicly revealed.

Investigations by Turkish officials and 'The New York Times' concluded that the murder was carefully planned.

In November 2018, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) concluded that Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) had ordered the assassination.

This conclusion is based on a variety of evidence, including MBS's absolute control over decision-making in the kingdom and the direct involvement of his advisors and personal bodyguards in the operation.

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US Intelligence Report: MBS Involved in the Murder

A US intelligence report declassified on February 25, 2021, explicitly concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The report is based on MBS's complete control over decision-making in the kingdom since 2017.

Furthermore, the report highlights the direct involvement of key advisors and members of MBS's personal bodyguard in the operation.

MBS's absolute control over the kingdom's security and intelligence organizations makes it "extremely unlikely" that Saudi officials would have carried out such an operation without the Crown Prince's direct authorization.

These findings strengthen the suspicion of high-level involvement in the murder.

Although the report was released by the Biden administration, the previous Trump administration refused to make it public, and Trump himself disputed the conclusions.

The release of this report is an important step in the effort to bring transparency and accountability to the Jamal Khashoggi case, although its impact on US-Saudi relations remains a matter of debate.