Jamal Khashoggi

Khashoggi is internationally notable due to the circumstances of his death. He was assassinated inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that the killing was carried out by agents of the Saudi government and was approved by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, making it a high-profile state-sponsored murder of a journalist.

The case has re-entered recent news headlines following statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump. In late 2025, multiple news outlets reported that Trump publicly defended the Saudi Crown Prince, asserting he had no knowledge of the assassination, despite official intelligence findings to the contrary.

This has renewed international focus on the accountability for Khashoggi's murder and the complex geopolitical relationships between world powers and Saudi Arabia. The ongoing discussion underscores the lasting political impact of the journalist's death.