It isn’t immediately clear how Trump and the Saudis came to speak with each other, especially since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been ostracized in the West since the killing of Khashoggi. But the news of a phone call is likely to reinforce allegations of Saudi guilt — and Trump’s apparent indifference to them — that have dogged the Saudi government for weeks. Khalid bin Salman, who is reportedly not an heir but a cousin of the Saudi crown prince, was reportedly at the meeting. And the kingdom’s ambassador to the US also attended, according to Politico. In a statement to CNN, the White House denied that Khalid bin Salman was a proxy for the crown prince. “Khalid bin Salman was just visiting the US with his father,” the White House said, describing the trip as a routine matter for a deputy crown prince who is not a member of the royal family. But CNN noted that the prince is “a key figure in the kingdom’s efforts to overhaul the Saudi economy, including through foreign investments and the listing of state oil company Saudi Aramco’s shares on the New York Stock Exchange.” Trump, who has been repeatedly accused of making false statements when it comes to Saudi Arabia and Iran, responded to the allegation about Khalid bin Salman’s visit in characteristic fashion. “I don’t know. I hear it’s the first time they’ve let the guy out of Saudi Arabia who’s been put in charge of that for the last two or three months,” Trump told reporters Monday morning, referring to the regime’s dismal response to Khashoggi’s murder, which included dismembering him with a bone saw. Khalid bin Salman was reportedly present during Khashoggi’s killing, though an anonymous Saudi source told Bloomberg that Prince Mohammed had given orders to use force. In Trump’s defense, it’s not uncommon for important visitors to the US to visit him, even if they aren’t close family members. But the mere fact that Khalid bin Salman was in the United States during Khashoggi’s murder could complicate Trump’s explanation that he did nothing wrong. Some observers also cast doubt on the Saudis’ claim that Khalid bin Salman was only in the US for five days. Yahoo News reported that Saudi authorities said he was in New York for two days and returned to Riyadh for one, a trip that Trump’s staff, led by National Security Adviser John Bolton, said was actually two nights. Trump has also been accused of lying about his ties with Saudi Arabia, his most steadfast international ally, after the regime killed Khashoggi. As my colleague Zack Beauchamp has reported, Trump told reporters that he hadn’t spoken to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince since the incident — which contradicts two statements issued by the crown prince’s office. The Saudi government also made contradictory statements on the status of the investigation into Khashoggi’s death, initially claiming that he left the consulate after a brief meeting, then saying that a “negotiating team” from Saudi Arabia left shortly thereafter. These contradictions and other Trump administration moves around the kingdom have raised suspicions about Trump’s intentions in the Middle East. Trump has been accused of going soft on the regime to win its support for a nuclear deal with the kingdom — but the Saudis rejected that deal in part because they said it would undermine their absolute rule. As for Khashoggi’s killing, Trump has repeatedly defended the Saudi regime. And he seemed to believe the regime’s explanation that Khashoggi left the consulate that day, despite the government’s contradictory accounts of the incident. As US media reported at the time of his death, Khashoggi was living in exile in Virginia and writing columns for the Washington Post, which was owned by Saudi investor and regime ally Jeff Bezos. His killing, carried out by members of the Saudi crown prince’s close circle, is suspected to have been ordered by the prince himself. Trump said he would “get to the bottom” of Khashoggi’s death but then, once again, appeared to take the Saudis at their word that the prince had nothing to do with it. But even before Trump expressed doubt about the investigation into Khashoggi’s killing, the president tried to absolve the Saudi regime and its prince. “Here’s the thing. This country is worth $300 billion. It’s a trading partner,” Trump told The Washington Post in May. “I’d make a good deal for the US and I’d make a good deal for Saudi Arabia,” Trump said. He also said he believes in the prince’s denials. “I’m not going to comment on it for one reason, because they are an ally.” Khashoggi’s slaying has since become a major liability for Trump, leading to concerns about his administration’s handling of Saudi Arabia, which he views as an important ally and trading partner. When asked about the killing at a press conference last week, Trump seemed to deflect the question. “They’re spending $110 billion on military equipment and on things that create jobs,” Trump said. “Are you really saying that’s an issue?” Some have even called for Trump to take action against Saudi Arabia as a result of Khashoggi’s killing. But Trump, who has been accused of ignoring human rights abuses of other countries’ leaders, has thus far resisted a foreign policy shift as a result of the incident. Ahead of his midterm elections, Trump has taken steps to show the world that he will keep up his tough talk on the Khashoggi incident, including launching airstrikes against the country’s oil fields and sanctioning Saudi nationals for their alleged role in the murder. The White House said Tuesday that it was sending an official delegation to the kingdom, but denied that it was meant to pressure the Saudis. “We are going to have to be transparent on this,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Tuesday. “There are obviously serious national security and human rights concerns that we have. This was a brutal crime.” Business Insider Emails & Alerts Site highlights each day to your inbox. Email Address Join Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.