Trump leaves open possibility of bin Salman role in Khashoggi assassination
US President Donald Trump continues his defense of the Saudi royal family in the possible assassination of an outspoken critic of the kingdom in Turkey.
Trump took part in an interview late Saturday with The Washington Post, which he often refers to as “fake news,” in order to protect Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the case of Jamal Khashoggi.
"There is a possibility he [bin Salman] found out about it afterward. It could be something in the building went badly awry. It could be that's when he found about it," he said, acknowledging that "their stories are all over the place."
The US president further left the door open for possible implication of the prince, the country’s de facto leader.
“Nobody has told me he’s responsible," Trump said. "Nobody has told me he’s not responsible. We haven’t reached that point ... I would love if he wasn’t responsible.”
Saudi Arabia acknowledged the murder for the first time on Friday, yet leaving many questions unanswered, a denial welcomed by Trump.
“Obviously there’s been deception and there’s been lies," Trump said.
Intelligence intercepts reportedly show that Khashoggi, who was last seen entering the Saudi mission in Istanbul on October 2, was murdered on bin Salman’s direct order.
Turkish media have previously released the identities of Saudi operatives, who had apparently travelled from Riyadh to Istanbul on two private jets and entered the Saudi mission for that matter.
Khashoggi had been there to obtain a document certifying he divorced his ex-wife.
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