(Washington, D.C., November 18, 2025) — In response to President Trump's defense of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over Jamal Khashoggi's murder during today's White House meeting, DAWN issues the following statement:
"President Trump has sold U.S. protection – backed by American soldiers whose lives will be on the line – to protect a reckless, impulsive dictator, all in the interests of personal and corporate gains," said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN's executive director. "While the defense industry and American billionaires will profit handsomely with the gifts Trump is doling out to MBS, the American people will be left holding the bill."
"President Trump has Jamal Khashoggi's blood on his hands," said Raed Jarrar, DAWN's advocacy director. "Seven years after ordering Jamal's brutal murder and dismemberment, MBS still hasn't revealed where his remains are so his family can bury him, and Trump won't even ask. By defending MBS and lying about the intelligence community's findings, Trump has made himself complicit in every execution and imprisonment MBS has ordered since."
Background:
During the Oval Office meeting, President Trump attacked a reporter from ABC News as "fake news" for asking about Khashoggi's murder, dismissed Khashoggi as someone who was "extremely controversial" and "a lot of people didn't like," said "things happen," falsely claimed MBS "knew nothing about it," and told the reporter "you don't have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that." Trump also praised MBS's human rights record as "phenomenal." The Office of the Director of National Intelligence concluded in 2021 that MBS approved the operation to capture or kill Khashoggi.
