Kaine Statement on Trump’s Meeting with Saudi Crown Prince and Refusal to Condemn Murder of Jamal Khashoggi

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s defense of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman after he was asked about the murder of journalist and Northern Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi. President Trump said that “things happen” and MBS “knew nothing about it.” U.S. intelligence assessments found that the Crown Prince approved the operation to kill Khashoggi.

“President Trump’s refusal today to condemn the Saudi Crown Prince’s role in Jamal Khashoggi’s murder is disgusting, and his comment that MBS ‘knew nothing about it’ goes against what our own intelligence agencies have found. Those involved in the killing of Khashoggi, who was a Virginia resident and journalist, should be held responsible,” said Kaine. “Instead of rolling out the red carpet for MBS and leveraging the presidency for private hotel deals, Trump should be demanding accountability on behalf of Khashoggi’s Virginia-based family and pressing Saudi Arabia to advance U.S. security interests. Unfortunately, this is just the most recent example of Trump placing his personal financial interests above the interest of the American people.”

In October, Kaine introduced a resolution to commemorate the seventh anniversary of Khashoggi’s murder, which was directed by Saudi government officials.

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