Donald Trump shook hands with Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salma during a meeting in the Oval Office, before slamming Joe Biden for fist-bumping the crown prince in 2022. After MBS said that the US president was “on another league” compared to other former presidents, the pair shook hands before Mr Trump said: “I don’t give a fist bump…I don’t care where it’s been.” During a trip to Jeddah, then-President Biden refused to shake the hand of the crown prince. It came after a US intelligence report said the de facto leader "approved an operation in Istanbul to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi”. MBS has denied the allegations and in Tuesday’s meeting (18 November), Mr Trump said the crown prince had “nothing to do with it”.

President and crown prince were both pressed on 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents and protests of 9/11 victim families

In the Oval Office the US president dismissed the murder of the columnist Jamal Khashoggi, saying: ‘things happen’

Donald Trump shook hands with Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salma during a meeting in the Oval Office, before slamming Joe Biden for fist-bumping the crown prince in 2022.…

US president also claims Mohammed bin Salman ‘knew nothing’ about murder of journalist