The recent high-profile visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to the United States once again brought the Jamal Khashoggi assassination case into global focus. This happened after President Donald Trump publicly rejected the findings of U.S. intelligence agencies and defended the Crown Prince during their meeting. The trip, which was MBS’s first visit to Washington since Khashoggi’s 2018 murder, was planned to strengthen defense and economic partnerships, but it immediately sparked international criticism. During a joint appearance in the Oval Office on November 18, 2025, Trump insisted that MBS “knew nothing about it” and told a journalist, “You don’t have to embarrass our guest,” even though this contradicted a 2021 U.S. intelligence report that concluded the Crown Prince had approved the operation to capture or kill the Washington Post writer. Human rights groups such as DAWN, which Khashoggi had helped establish, condemned the U.S. reception, accusing Trump of making himself “complicit” in the actions of the Saudi government. Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, also called the visit “very painful” and urged the Prince to personally apologize. The event received extensive international media coverage, highlighting the struggle between concerns over human rights violations and the growing cooperation between the two countries in defense deals, including F-35 jets, and future artificial intelligence partnerships.
Who was Jamal Khashoggi?
Jamal Ahmad Hamza Khashoggi was born on 13 October 1958 and was 60 years old at the time of his assassination on 2 October 2018. He was a well-known Saudi journalist, author, and former general manager and editor-in-chief of the Al-Arab News Channel. He also worked as the editor of the Saudi newspaper Al Watan, where he helped shape it into a platform that supported progressive ideas in the country. Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia in June 2017 and moved to the United States, choosing self-imposed exile. In September 2017, he began writing opinion columns for The Washington Post, where he openly criticized the Saudi government and the royal family, especially Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and called for political and social reforms. He was also strongly opposed to the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen. After publishing his views in The Washington Post, Khashoggi became the target of online harassment from pro-government trolls and automated accounts on Twitter. Reports later suggested that this harassment was directed by Saudi royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani, who had been instructed by the Crown Prince to take strict action against dissent on social media. Qahtani was later linked to the operation that led to Khashoggi’s killing.
Jamal Khashoggi Family
The Khashoggi family is a well-known and influential Saudi Arabian family of Turkish origin, known for its contributions in fields such as medicine, business, and media. Among its prominent members are the personal physician to the founder of Saudi Arabia, the late billionaire arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, and acclaimed novelist Soheir Khashoggi. However, the family became a major focus of international attention after the 2018 assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, a respected Washington Post journalist and outspoken critic of the Saudi government. His killing led to worldwide scrutiny and highlighted the family’s long and complex ties with the Saudi leadership.
What was Jamal Khashoggi Case?
On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a well-known Saudi journalist and government critic, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. He had gone there to obtain documents for his marriage but never emerged. According to investigations, a 15-member Saudi team ambushed, suffocated, and dismembered him inside the building. His remains have never been recovered. The Turkish authorities had secretly placed listening devices inside the consulate, and Khashoggi’s final moments were captured on audio, later described in transcripts released to the public. The incident sparked international outrage, leading to global pressure on Saudi Arabia and raising serious questions about state involvement, human rights, and press freedom.
Who is Jamal Khashoggi Widow
Jamal Khashoggi’s widow is Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, whom he married in an Islamic ceremony in Northern Virginia in June 2018, just a few months before his assassination. Hanan Elatr, originally from Egypt and a former flight attendant raised in Dubai, was his fourth wife. After fearing for her safety in the Middle East, she was granted political asylum in the United States in December 2023.
At the time of Khashoggi’s death, he was also engaged to a Turkish woman, Hatice Cengiz, who had been waiting for him outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on the day he was killed. Hanan Elatr has said she did not know about Khashoggi’s relationship with Cengiz, and the two women have never spoken.
What did Jamal Khashoggi say about Saudi Arabia?
Jamal Khashoggi argued that Saudi Arabia was becoming more oppressive, especially under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). He said that dissent was being suppressed, intellectuals were living in fear, and both political and religious figures were facing severe pressure. Khashoggi strongly criticized the government’s policies, including its approach to the Yemen war, its foreign strategy, and restrictions on freedom of expression. At the same time, he called for more secular thinking and meaningful social reforms in the country.
What was Khashoggi’s relationship with Saudi Arabia?
Khashoggi was the editor of the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al Watan, which was considered a platform for Saudi progressives. Khashoggi fled Saudi Arabia in September 2017 and went into self-imposed exile.
What did the US do about Jamal Khashoggi?
By November 2018, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) concluded that bin Salman had ordered the murder. In the same month, the United States imposed sanctions against 17 Saudis over the murder, but did not sanction bin Salman himself.
What Happened To Jamal Khashoggi
On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, by a team of Saudi operatives. Khashoggi was a well-known journalist and outspoken critic of the Saudi government and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). He had been living in self-imposed exile in the United States and wrote opinion pieces for The Washington Post. He visited the consulate to collect paperwork confirming his divorce so he could marry his Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who waited for him outside. However, he never emerged from the building and was not seen again.
What happened to Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancee?
Hatice Cengiz, the fiancée of late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has filed a lawsuit accusing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of ordering his assassination. Along with a rights organization Khashoggi helped establish before his death, she is seeking unspecified damages from the crown prince and more than 20 others.
What is the death penalty for Jamal Khashoggi?
According to state media, a Saudi court reduced the death sentences of five individuals convicted in Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder. They were instead given 20-year prison terms after the journalist’s family chose to pardon them.
Did Jamal Khashoggi have two wives?
Elatr maintains that Khashoggi never spoke to her about Cengiz, who is Turkish. She insists, “Jamal is not a womaniser. People misunderstand.” She acknowledges that Khashoggi had been married three times before their union and accepted polygamy, noting that he had previously been married to two wives at the same time.
Also Read: Will the US Support Jamal Khashoggi’s Widow Hanan Elatr in Her Fight for Justice?
