On Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, Trump said ‘things happen.’ Critics say that crossed a line.

“Things happen.”

With those two dismissive words, President Donald Trump explained away the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi — while sitting in the Oval Office next to his guest, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the man U.S. intelligence says ordered the killing.

This all played out Tuesday at the White House, as Trump defended Prince Mohammed and absolved him of having any role in the murder of the Post columnist.

When asked about Khashoggi’s murder, Trump told reporters, “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about. Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but (the crown prince) knew nothing about it. And we can leave it at that. You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that.”

The Washington Post’s Michael Birnbaum, Susannah George and Natalie Allison wrote, “Trump’s dismissive language offered the highest-level confirmation yet that Mohammed will face few consequences for the killing, as the crown prince makes his first visit to Washington since Khashoggi was dismembered in a Saudi consulate in Turkey.”