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Ex-President Donald Trump has largely ignored the killing of columnist Khashoggi, calling him an "highly divisive" person that was unpopular.

Oval Office Meeting alongside Saudi Arabian Crown Prince

The remarks were made throughout a White House session alongside the Saudi crown prince, representing his inaugural appearance after Khashoggi's murder abroad.

Intelligence officials assessed that the Saudi leader was behind the assassination, but Trump maintained that the prince "was unaware" regarding it.

Trump's Reply to Journalist's Inquiry

Trump further rebuked the reporter who raised the topic, suggesting that the broadcaster ought to forfeit its permit.

"Many people disliked that man you're talking about," the former president remarked. "Whether you like him or not, things occurred, but he had no idea."

The Saudi leader responded, "It's painful and a major error, and we are striving to ensure such incidents in future."

Financial Arrangements and Defense Sales

The meeting also highlighted proposed Saudi Arabian spending in the United States, initially billed at six hundred billion dollars, though later increased to a trillion-dollar sum.

Trump confirmed his intention to sell sophisticated F-35 aircraft to Riyadh, in spite of concerns from the Israeli government as well as intelligence communities.

The pair additionally revealed negotiations regarding a possible deal for Saudi Arabia to formalize ties with the Israeli government conditional on a sovereign Palestine.

Middle Eastern Tensions and Complications

The planned sale of F-35s has sparked alarm within Israel, that currently possesses the advanced plane in the region.

American spy agencies are also worried because of Riyadh's close military cooperation with the Chinese, highlighting apprehensions over intellectual property risks.

Nevertheless, Trump stated that Saudi Arabia should receive the same top-level aircraft as Israel, pointing to them being "reliable friends" of the United States.

Additional Arrangements

Alongside arms deals, administration representatives noted hopes for multi-billion Saudi capital in America's AI sector, as well as greater cooperation in atomic energy projects.

"We can announce that we will raise the initial amount to almost one trillion," the crown prince stated.

Diplomatic Complications

The Trump government is also seeking an atomic and defense partnership deal with the kingdom, which the Biden administration had tried unsuccessfully to secure.

But, recent events, including the Hamas attack and subsequent operations in the region, have made difficult the prospects of such a deal.

"Following the attacks, I believe the conditions for the kingdom to sign up to normalization with Tel Aviv has increased considerably," a former American diplomat remarked.

Future Negotiations

"We want to be part the Abraham Accords, but we also want to ensure a definite route for a two-state solution," the crown prince remarked.

The former president echoed, stating, "We've had a productive talk on the Abraham Accords. We discussed about various options."

"We discussed about a lot in a short time. We plan to explore more details," Trump concluded. "However, I believe you possess a strong understanding regarding normalization."

Criticism Over Business Interests

The meeting further contentious because of possible connections between the Trump family's private business interests with Gulf states.

Trump rejected the possibility of conflict of interest, stating he had "stepped away from his business empire" and devoted "full attention" to his role.

"I have nothing regarding the family business," he stated. "Their actions is acceptable. They do business all over. They've done very little in the kingdom, truthfully. I'm sure opportunities exist. And anything they've done has been successful."