U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters with first lady Melania Trump
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman unwaveringly denies knowledge of what happened to missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi, U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday.
"Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate," Trump said on Twitter. "He was with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the call, and told me that he has already started, and will rapidly expand, a full and complete investigation into this matter."
"Answers will be forthcoming shortly," he added.
Khashoggi has been missing since Oct. 2 when he was last seen entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
Trump is facing pressure from lawmakers to sanction Saudi Arabia for the disappearance as speculation continues to mount that Khashoggi was killed inside the diplomatic building.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, said Tuesday that bin Salman "murdered" the missing Washington Post columnist, warning that he would "sanction the hell out of" Riyadh in retaliation.
"This guy is a wrecking ball, he had this guy murdered in a consulate in Turkey, and to expect me to ignore it, I feel used and abused," Graham said on the Fox Friends morning news television program.
"Saudi Arabia, if you're listening, there are a lot of good people you can choose but MBS has tainted your country and tainted himself," he added using the crown prince's acronym.
The Saudis have denied killing Khashoggi.
He was last seen entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on the same day 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in the Turkish city on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was inside, Turkish police sources said.
All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.
Saudi Arabia's Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday, according to diplomatic sources.
His departure comes as Turkish and Saudi officials are preparing to search al-Otaibi's residence, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials said requesting anonymity.
Saudi Arabia's consul general in Istanbul left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday.Mohammad al-Otaibi left Turkey on a commercial flight hours before his residence was expected to be searched by Turkish police in relation to the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi two weeks ago.Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate on Oct. 2. Saudi Arabia has denied any role in his disappearance. Leading US senator accuses Saudi prince of ordering Khashoggi killingEvidence found in Saudi consulate proving Khashoggi was killed thereDissident prince says Saudi planned vanishing act for him as Khashoggi case heats upErdoğan says some material at Saudi consulate painted over
Saudi consul general leaves Turkey for Riyadh
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to President Donald Trump, on Tuesday accused Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of ordering the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and called him a "wrecking ball" who is jeopardizing relations with the United States.Many members of the U.S. Congress, which has long had a testy relationship with Saudi Arabia, have issued strong criticism of the kingdom since Khashoggi's disappearance at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.Graham put the blame directly on the crown prince, who is known by his initials, MbS."Nothing happens in Saudi Arabia without MbS knowing it," he said in an interview with Fox News.Evidence found in Saudi consulate proving Khashoggi was killed there"I've been their biggest defender on the floor of the United States Senate," Graham said. "This guy is a wrecking ball. He had this guy murdered in a consulate in Turkey and to expect me to ignore it. I feel used and abused," Graham said."The MbS figure is to me toxic. He can never be a world leader on the world stage."Saudi Arabia denies that it had any role in Khashoggi’s disappearance. But last week, 22 senators triggered a U.S. investigation of whether human rights sanctions should be imposed over the disappearance of Khashoggi.Graham said he did not know what Trump was going to do about the incident, which involves the United States' close but complicated relationship with Saudi Arabia.Dissident prince says Saudi planned vanishing act for him as Khashoggi case heats up"I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia," Graham said. "I feel personally offended. They have nothing but contempt for us. Why would you put a guy like me and the president and in this box after all the president has done? This guy’s gotta go."Trump has taken a less aggressive stance toward the Saudis, suggesting on Monday after speaking with Saudi King Salman that perhaps "rogue killers" were behind the disappearance of Khashoggi, a sharp critic of the crown prince.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met the Saudi king and crown prince on Tuesday to discuss the disappearance of Khashoggi. Pompeo to bring info on Khashoggi from Riyadh to Ankara: Turkish FMErdoğan says some material at Saudi consulate painted over
Leading US senator accuses Saudi prince of ordering Khashoggi killing
A Turkish official said police found evidence inside the Saudi Consulate proving that missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed there, AP reported on Tuesday.Overnight, Turkish crime scene investigators entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the last place Khashoggi was seen before vanishing, for the first time and searched the premises for over nine hours.They will continue on Tuesday, expanding their search to include the residence of the Saudi consul as well as consulate vehicles.Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and leading critic of the Saudi crown prince, vanished after entering the consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed, which the Saudis strongly deny.Dissident prince says Saudi planned vanishing act for him as Khashoggi case heats upCNN and the New York Times reported Saudi Arabia was preparing to acknowledge Khashoggi's death in a botched interrogation, after denying for two weeks any role in his disappearance.Khashoggi, a familiar face on Arab talk shows, moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his criticism of Prince Mohammed, who has cracked down on dissent with arrests.The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the Saudi plans, reported the crown prince had approved an interrogation or abduction of Khashoggi. The Saudi government, it said, would shield the prince by blaming an intelligence official for the bungled operation.Pompeo to bring info on Khashoggi from Riyadh to Ankara: Turkish FMErdoğan says some material at Saudi consulate painted overTurks, Saudis to search consul's residence in Istanbul
Evidence found in Saudi consulate proving Khashoggi was killed there
Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra said on Tuesday that he will most likely not attend a conference in Saudi Arabia after dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi went missing.Hoekstra told the Dutch parliament that if there is no clarification from Riyadh about what happened to Khashoggi "it is unlikely I will go." He added: "I will follow developments and take a decision at the end of this week". Dissident prince says Saudi planned vanishing act for him as Khashoggi case heats upPompeo to bring info on Khashoggi from Riyadh to Ankara: Turkish FMErdoğan says some material at Saudi consulate painted over
Dutch minister unlikely to attend Saudi conference after journalist's disappearance
A Saudi prince living in exile in Germany, Khaled bin Farhan al-Saud, has claimed that authorities of the Kingdom planned to kidnap him, resembling the plot against prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to British publication the Independent.Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and leading critic of the Saudi crown prince, vanished after entering the consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed, which the Saudis strongly deny.The prince said that they had planned this plot against him just 10 days before Khashoggi went missing.“Over 30 times the Saudi authorities have told me to meet them in the Saudi embassy but I have refused every time,” he said. “I know what can happen if I go into the embassy,” said the 41-year-old prince. He added that the authorities promised his family a large cheque if the prince agreed to come to Egypt to meet regime officials at the consulate.CNN and the New York Times reported Saudi Arabia was preparing to acknowledge Khashoggi's death in a botched interrogation, after denying for two weeks any role in his disappearance. “Just five days ago a group tried to visit King Salman saying they were afraid for the future of the al-Saud family, they mentioned Mr Khashoggi’s case. They were all put in jail,” he added.Pompeo tells Saudis US is concerned about KhashoggiErdoğan says some material at Saudi consulate painted overKhashoggi, a familiar face on Arab talk shows, moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his criticism of Prince Mohammed, who has cracked down on dissent with arrests.The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the Saudi plans, reported the crown prince had approved an interrogation or abduction of Khashoggi. The Saudi government, it said, would shield the prince by blaming an intelligence official for the bungled operation.
Dissident prince says Saudi planned vanishing act for him as Khashoggi case heats up