Issues "Standing with Saudi Arabia" statement defending MBS despite Khashoggi murder
In an extraordinary statement headlined "Standing with Saudi Arabia," Trump defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman regarding the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Using the phrase "Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" regarding MBS's knowledge of the killing, Trump prioritized arms sales and oil prices over human rights and intelligence assessments concluding MBS ordered the hit. The statement famously began with "The world is a very dangerous place!" and effectively exonerated the Saudi regime.
“It could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event \u2013 maybe he did and maybe he didn\u2019t!” — Official White House statement, November 20, 2018 Quote verified against source
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryresearch:The 'Standing with Saudi Arabia' statement is one of the most explicit examples of Trump subordinating human rights to financial interests. By publicly exonerating MBS despite CIA conclusions he ordered Khashoggi's murder, Trump signaled to autocrats worldwide that they could literally dismember journalists and still receive US support if the economic relationship was valuable enough. The infamous 'Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!' line became a symbol of moral abdication.