Trump Defends MBS at White House Dinner Attended by Tim Cook and Tech Chiefs

Cook's appearance renewed scrutiny of tech ties to Riyadh following the CIA finding that Mohammed bin Salman ordered Jamal Khashoggi's killing.

Overview

Apple's chief executive joined a White House dinner hosted by President Trump for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the prince’s first U.S. visit since 2018.
Trump publicly downplayed questions about Khashoggi’s murder, saying, “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about.”
Other attendees included Elon Musk, Michael Dell, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and AMD’s chief executive, reflecting broad participation from major technology firms.
Apple’s business footprint in Saudi Arabia includes roughly $2 billion invested in local companies, an online store launched in July 2025, and retail locations planned for 2026.
The appearance drew renewed criticism over Apple continuing to host a Saudi government-linked tracking app that Cook said in 2019 he would review but which remains available.