Trump’s Complicity in the Khashoggi Murder

How Donald Trump’s cover-up of Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination revealed the pattern of corruption that still defines his relationship with Saudi Arabia... and the world

Dear Readers,

As the world revisits the relationship between Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), it’s worth recalling one of the most chilling episodes of modern diplomacy that marked a turning point for American credibility. The 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was not only a grotesque act of political violence, it was also a test of moral leadership. Trump failed that test spectacularly and chose personal gain and political convenience over truth and justice.

I write this as someone who served on the White House National Security Council (NSC) at the time. Crisis management for this episode was jointly conducted by the Middle East and European Affairs directorates, the latter overseeing Turkey, where the crime occurred. From inside government the episode was recognized for what it was: a clear test of whether the United States would uphold its values when confronted with an autocrat’s brutality.

The Murder and the Cover-Up

The killing took pl…