Trump stands by Saudi Arabia despite Khashoggi’s murder
Defying pressure from US legislators to impose tougher sanctions on Saudi Arabia, Trump also said he would not cancel military contracts with the kingdom
Washington — President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to remain a "steadfast partner" of Saudi Arabia despite saying that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have known about the plan to murder dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month. Defying pressure from US legislators to impose tougher sanctions on Saudi Arabia, Trump also said he would not cancel military contracts with the kingdom. Such a "foolish" move would only benefit Russia and China, said the US president, whom critics accuse of exaggerating the importance of those weapons sales to the American economy. Trump said US intelligence agencies were still studying the evidence around Khashoggi's murder inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 and who planned it.
"Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event — maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" Trump said in a statement issued by the White House. US ...
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