[ad_1]
The White House strives to make clear to a widespread sentiment that the Crown Prince wants the Saudis to support his foreign policy priorities and that it is necessary to manage the close relations between Bin Salman, the Trump administration and members of Trump's family.
"That being said," Trump continued, "we may never know all the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi, and in any case, we have relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. have been a great ally of our important fight against Iran ".
Less than an hour after the release of the statement, Trump appeared in the White House Rose Garden to forgive two turkeys for Thanksgiving. He did not mention the journalist's murder.
The president's statement creates a conflict with lawmakers of both parties who called for harsh measures against Saudi Arabia and expressed deep reservations about US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. He again opposes Trump's intelligence services and strengthens a regime that has admitted to killing a vocal critic and a member of the press.
Trump should receive a CIA assessment on Khashoggi's murder later on Tuesday.
Great confidence
A senior administration official told CNN that the report, presented in hard copy, was an evaluation of all information collected to date, but did not present a final conclusion. This corresponds to the practice of the intelligence community: agencies attribute a level of trust to their conclusions because intelligence is not critical.
The CIA's statement and expected report comes seven weeks after the father of four entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to request marriage documents. Trump was informed by CIA director Gina Haspel, who went to Turkey to meet with the local authorities about their findings and would have heard a recording of the murder by the Turkish government.
Saudi Arabia first insisted that the resident of Virginia leave his consulate, but after a few weeks during which his history has constantly changed, officials admitted in late October that the murder was premeditated and was perpetrated by a group of 15 men from various government agencies and some members of the group. nearest circle of prince advisers.
The Turks said that Khashoggi was arrested, beaten and dismembered shortly after entering the consulate. Saudi officials said the team had been sent to convince the journalist to return to Saudi Arabia and that he had been killed by mistake by an overdose intended to temporarily subdue him. We still do not know where Khashoggi's body is or what happened to him.
While Riyadh asserted that neither the Crown Prince nor his father was aware of the operation, intelligence officials, legislators, and analysts familiar with the country felt that an operation of this nature and of such magnitude could not take place without the leadership and the conscience of the Crown Prince, who controls all the security services of the country.
Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina and ardent defender of Trump, told NBC on Sunday that the 15-person team "does not board two planes, goes to Turkey and cuts a guy in a consulate that criticize the kingdom ". prince without the Crown Prince knowing it. And sanctioned him. "
"The worst hiding of all time"
Saudi Arabia announced last week that 11 men had been charged with "dishonest operation" and that five would be punishable by death.
Trump, who described Saudi explanations as "the worst concealment ever recorded" in late October, made it clear in his statement that his view of the killing was a deal.
Citing the promise of Saudi investments in the United States likely to generate jobs and multi-billion military contracts, even if it has inflated its value, Mr Trump said that "if we foolishly cancel these Contracts, Russia and China would be huge beneficiaries and very happy to acquire this new business together. "
