The President of the United States states that it seems likely that Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi critic journalist, is dead, which is sad for him. Donald Trump said on Thursday, October 18, while heading to a campaign rally in Montana, that he is awaiting the results of the investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance, who has been missing for two weeks after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Reports from Turkish media indicate that he was killed in this consulate by a 15-member team of Saudi security agents, and his body was dismembered. Riyadh has denied these reports so far. In response to reporters' questions about whether Jamal Khashoggi is dead, Trump said: 'It certainly seems that way... very sad.' The U.S. President stated that if the leadership of Saudi Arabia is involved in this incident, the consequences would be 'very severe.' Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced hours earlier that he advised the President that Washington should give the Saudis a few more days to conclude their investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance. On the same day, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced that he would not attend an important investment conference scheduled for next week in Riyadh. The Treasury Secretary tweeted: 'I just met with Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo, and we decided that I will not attend the upcoming investment meeting in Saudi Arabia.' British Trade Secretary Liam Fox also announced that he would not attend this conference. Saudi Arabia has long been preparing a three-day conference titled 'Davos in the Desert' from November 1 to 3, hoping to attract major international investments to implement the economic plans desired by the Saudi Crown Prince. Meanwhile, the New York Times reported in its Thursday edition, citing 'three informed sources' on the Khashoggi case, that the Saudi government is seeking to place the responsibility for the murder of this critical journalist on General Ahmed al-Asiri. Al-Asiri, who previously served as the spokesman for the Arab coalition in the war in Yemen led by Saudi Arabia, is identified as a senior intelligence official with a very close relationship with Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince. The New York Times states that U.S. intelligence agencies are fully convinced that the Saudi Crown Prince was involved in the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi.
Trump: If Khashoggi has been murdered, there will be severe consequences for Saudi Arabia
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed sadness over the likely death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Trump warned of severe consequences for Saudi Arabia if its leadership is found to be involved, while Secretary of State Pompeo suggested giving the Saudis more time for their investigation.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concern over the likely death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He warned of severe consequences for Saudi Arabia if its leadership is implicated in the incident.
- Khashoggi was reportedly killed by a Saudi security team inside the consulate.
- The U.S. is awaiting the results of Saudi Arabia's investigation into the matter.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Jamal Khashoggi was a prominent critic of the Saudi government, and his disappearance has raised alarms about the safety of journalists and dissenters in authoritarian regimes.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%