Increased US Pressure for Explanations Regarding Khashoggi's Disappearance

The President of the United States has spoken with a leader from Saudi Arabia regarding the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and critic, stating to reporters, "The facts must be made clear." On October 10, Donald Trump said in his office at the White House, "The situation is very disturbing. We cannot allow such an event to happen to journalists or anyone else." He added, "I think we will fully uncover the facts." It is unclear whether Trump spoke with Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who is currently under scrutiny, or possibly with King Salman. In addition to Trump, National Security Advisor John Bolton, Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have also spoken with the Crown Prince, demanding further explanations. White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders stated on Wednesday that they have requested more details and urged the Saudi government to act transparently in the investigation process. The US government has recently intensified its efforts to clarify the situation surrounding the critic of the Crown Prince. Several US lawmakers reacted strongly from the outset. The Associated Press reports that over 20 senators from both the Democratic and Republican parties have asked Trump to order an investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance under laws that allow for human rights sanctions against countries and entities. According to the Associated Press, although no specific suspect has been mentioned, and the senators' letter to the President is considered a preliminary step, it indicates a growing distance in the strategic and close relationship between Washington and Riyadh. Republican Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the Associated Press, "It is possible that Jamal Khashoggi was killed on the same day he entered the consulate." Senator Corker added, "The Saudis need to provide a lot of explanations, as all evidence suggests they at least had a hand in Khashoggi's disappearance." Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who relocated to Washington out of fear of arrest and wrote for the Washington Post, went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for paperwork but has since disappeared. More than a week has passed since this incident. Turkish police officials have told news agencies that he was killed in the consulate. However, Saudi Arabia has denied all allegations, stating that Khashoggi left the consulate shortly after entering, and they are also concerned about what has happened to him. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and several of Saudi Arabia's allies have demanded that Riyadh prove these statements. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that "a team of 15 people" was assigned by senior Saudi officials to wait at the consulate in Turkey for Khashoggi's arrival and kill him. According to Ankara, Saudi Arabia has no objection to conducting investigations and searches in its consulate in Istanbul. The Saudi Crown Prince recently stated in an interview with Bloomberg that Riyadh is ready to allow Turkish investigators to enter the consulate and search the premises: "They can enter and do whatever they want. We have nothing to hide." Khashoggi had repeatedly criticized the Crown Prince in his writings and interviews with the Washington Post and other publications. He once wrote in The Guardian that Mohammed bin Salman "wants to lead the country from the religious extremism of the past to extremism: 'You must accept my reforms without any consultation.'" After the arrest of civil activists in Saudi Arabia, he wrote in the Washington Post, "We are asked to have no hope for political freedoms, and if someone is arrested, they are banned from leaving, not only critics but even their family members, and we are expected not to speak out. We are expected only to applaud social reforms and express our utmost gratitude to the Crown Prince." Jamal Khashoggi, 59, was a journalist in Saudi Arabia before moving to the US. He was the editor of "Al Arab," a news network that was immediately shut down, and also worked for the "Al Watan" newspaper.