Trump: The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is Ultimately Responsible for the Operation Leading to Khashoggi's Murder

In his strongest remarks regarding the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is ultimately responsible for the operation that led to Khashoggi's death, thereby increasing pressure on Washington's ally amidst international protests over the journalist's killing. According to Reuters, the Wall Street Journal published Trump's comments just hours before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's speech at an investment summit in Riyadh, which is his most significant address since Khashoggi's murder. Concurrently, one of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's advisors claimed that the hands of the Saudi Crown Prince are 'stained with blood' in the Khashoggi case, marking the harshest comments from Turkish officials regarding the Crown Prince's connection to the journalist's murder. Riyadh officials have yet to respond to Trump's statements and Erdogan's advisor. Saudi Arabia claims that Khashoggi was killed as a result of a 'rogue operation' and that the Crown Prince had no knowledge of the incident. Trump stated in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he is inclined to believe the Crown Prince's claim of low-level officials being responsible for the murder, but emphasized that the responsibility lies with senior officials. Trump added, 'The truth is that the Crown Prince is currently running the country. Therefore, if anyone is responsible, it is him.' The death of Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post and a critic of Mohammed bin Salman, has sparked widespread international protests and jeopardized Riyadh's relations with the U.S. and other Western governments. The main question for Western countries allied with Saudi Arabia is whether Mohammed bin Salman played a role in this murder. Some U.S. Congress members have raised this possibility in recent days. Saudi Arabia has released conflicting information regarding Khashoggi's murder. Its foreign minister described the incident as a 'terrible mistake' but claimed that the Crown Prince was unaware of it. Turkish security sources state that 15 Saudi security agents, who arrived in Istanbul on two planes the same day, killed Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate building in Istanbul. Ilhan Choyk, an advisor to the Turkish President, wrote in the Yeni Birlik newspaper that 'this is a scandal that leads back to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. At least five members of the group that carried out the murder are very close to Mohammed Salman, and they do nothing without his knowledge.' He added, 'Even if Donald Trump tries to save Mohammed bin Salman, from the perspective of the global community, he is a person under suspicion and his hands are stained with Khashoggi's blood.' It is still unclear whether this statement reflects the views of the Turkish President. Erdogan emphasized the need to identify and prosecute 'all perpetrators and instigators of this act' on Tuesday and Wednesday. In response to international pressure, Saudi Arabia has arrested 18 people and dismissed five senior government officials. One of these officials, Saud al-Qahtani, a senior advisor to the Crown Prince, is said to have directed the operation to kill Jamal Khashoggi via Skype, according to security sources. In the latest international reactions to this incident, the Swiss foreign minister stated that this murder is a clear violation of human rights and, as a result, Switzerland will reconsider its relations with Saudi Arabia. The German government spokesperson also stated that the country will review its handling of approved arms contracts with Riyadh. The French government spokesperson said that if the Saudi government's responsibility for this murder is proven, appropriate actions will be taken.