US President Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday the U.S. will issue a "very full report" on the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi early next week.
The report, which Trump said will be released either on Monday or Tuesday, is slated to assess what "we think the overall impact was and who caused it, and who did it."
Trump earlier spoke with CIA Director Gina Haspel, who briefed him on the agency's findings in the case. Trumps said the CIA has not "assessed anything yet. It’s too early,” after the Washington Post first reported on Friday the CIA determined with high confidence Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered Khashoggi's killing.
The State Department also denied reports the administration has made a final conclusion, calling them "inaccurate."
"There remain numerous unanswered questions with respect to the murder of Mr. Khashoggi," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. "The State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts. In the meantime, we will continue to consult Congress, and work with other nations to hold accountable those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi."
Khashoggi was killed shortly after he entered the Saudi consulate general in Istanbul Oct. 2.
Saudi Arabia had offered shifting explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance before suggesting he was killed during a botched rendition operation by rogue agents.
His body has yet to be returned to his family, which has been seeking its return, amid reports that it was chemically dissolved.
The U.S. earlier this week sanctioned 17 people tied to Khashoggi's murder, including the Saudi Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi. But bin Salman, the de facto Saudi leader, was not among the designated individuals amid widespread speculation the hit could not have been carried out without his consent.
Nauert alluded to the U.S. action as well as previously announced visa penalties on the Saudi suspects, saying Washington has already "taken decisive measures against the individuals responsible."
"We will continue to explore additional measures to hold those accountable who planned, led and were connected to the murder. And, we will do that while maintaining the important strategic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia," she said.
Earlier Saturday, Senator Bob Corker who chairs the pivotal Foreign Relations Committee cast doubt that anyone besides bin Salman could have been responsible for ordering Khashoggi's muder.
"Everything points to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, MbS, ordering @washingtonpost journalist Jamal #Khashoggi's killing. The Trump administration should make a credible determination of responsibility before MbS executes the men who apparently carried out his orders," he said on Twitter, alluding to Riyadh's announcement that it would seek the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects charged with Khashoggi's murder.
President Donald Trump said Saturday he was not considering extraditing a U.S.-based cleric to Turkey as part of an effort to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia."No, it's not under consideration," Trump told reporters when asked about the potential extradition of FETÖ leader Fethullah Gülen, who is wanted in Turkey for being involved in a failed 2016 coup.NBC News reported Thursday the Trump administration had explored whether it could extradite Gülen, as a way to persuade Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.Trump has sought closer ties with Saudi Arabia, citing Riyadh's role in countering Iranian influence in the region, and billions of dollars in potential arms deals.The Justice Department had denied on Friday the matter had been discussed.On Saturday, Trump said he got along well with Erdogan, and spoke of a desire to improve relations with Turkey. He also described Saudi Arabia as "a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development."
Trump says not considering extraditing FETÖ leader Gülen
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had not yet been briefed on the CIA's conclusions regarding the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but that he would speak with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the CIA about the issue later on Saturday.The CIA believes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de-facto ruler, ordered Khashoggi's killing, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.But Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House before flying to California, also reiterated that he had been told the crown prince had not played a role in the journalist's death.Khashoggi’s body injected with clotting agent to ‘leave no blood trace’"We haven't been briefed yet," Trump said. "We will be talking with the CIA later and lots of others. I'll be doing that while I'm on the plane. I'll be speaking also with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo."Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, was killed in October at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage.Trump and top administration officials have said Saudi Arabia should be held to account for any involvement in Khashoggi's death and have imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis for their role in the killing.But they have also stressed the importance of Washington's ties with Riyadh, even while U.S. lawmakers have called on the administration to punish Saudi Arabia over the murder. Khashoggi family receives condolences after Riyadh proffers murder culpritsFrom denial to confession in Khashoggi killingCIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing
Trump to discuss Khashoggi murder with Sec of State Pompeo, CIA
Soldiers from China and the United States wrapped up a week of joint disaster relief drills on Saturday, in a display of cooperation against a backdrop of worsening ties between the two countries over trade, the disputed South China Sea and self-ruled Taiwan.Relations between the world's two largest economies have plumbed new depths under U.S. President Donald Trump, who is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Argentina starting late this month.The exercise, held in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, comes a week after Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe and top diplomat Yang Jiechi visited Washington, where U.S. officials urged China to halt militarisation of the South China Sea.But there was no sign of those strains as Chinese and U.S. soldiers simulated plucking people from earthquake-destroyed buildings and treating survivors' injuries at a People's Liberation Army (PLA) base on the outskirts of Nanjing.Troops practiced search and rescue in a small mock-up of a devastated urban area post-earthquake, using sniffer dogs and other gear to search for people buried in the fake rubble."Only through more contacts, more exchanges and cooperation in areas of common interest can we effectively increase mutual trust and effectively reduce misjudgments," Qin Weijiang, deputy commander of the PLA's eastern theatre command, told reporters."So I think bilateral exchanges can start from humanitarian and disaster relief exchanges and expand to other areas of common interest."Robert Brown, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Pacific, said the exchange was "extremely important"."Just as our top leaders work towards building a strong working relationship and understanding, we through confidence-building measures like this DME must also at our level build a strong understanding of each other," he added, referring to Disaster Management Exchange.This is the 14th time the joint exchange has been held, which last year took place in the United States.China's defence ministry has said it hopes the military relationship can become a "stabiliser" for overall ties with the United States.All the same, Washington and Beijing swapped barbs over trade, investment and regional security at an Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit on Saturday in Papua New Guinea.Regular drills and exchanges are helpful to bilateral relations, particularly at a time of increased friction, but they are not going to fundamentally change the direction that ties are headed, said Michael Chase, a specialist in China and Asia-Pacific security at the RAND Corp."These exchanges remain important in that respect even if they aren't going to solve broader problems in the relationship."Pence says South China Sea doesn't belong to any one nationTrump's summit no-show draws Asian nations closer togetherTurkish businessman's kindness wins hearts in ChinaChina commerce ministry says US, China have resumed high-level trade talksChina sends written response to US trade reform demands
As China-US friction rises, their armies hold joint disaster drills
U.S. prosecutors and lawyers for accused Russian agent Maria Butina are engaging in negotiations, both sides said in a court filing on Friday, raising the possibility the case could be resolved with a plea deal.Butina, a former graduate student at American University in Washington who has publicly advocated for gun rights, was charged in July with acting as an agent of the Russian government and conspiracy to take actions on behalf of Russia.She is accused of working with a Russian official and two U.S. citizens to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association, a powerful lobby group that has close ties to Republican politicians including President Donald Trump, and influence American foreign policy toward Russia.Currently jailed awaiting trial, Butina has pleaded not guilty. She could face years in prison if convicted.The parties "continue to engage ... in negotiations regarding a potential resolution of this matter," prosecutors and Butina's lawyers wrote in a joint filing on Friday, without elaborating on what resolution might materialize.U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan later granted a joint request for a delay in a status hearing in the case that had been set for Dec. 6, scheduling a new hearing for Dec. 19.After the delay was granted, defense lawyers withdrew motions they had filed on Thursday to dismiss the case.Such talks sometimes lead to a deal in which a defendant pleads guilty to lesser charges to resolve a case.Robert Driscoll, an attorney for Butina and who is under a media gag order imposed by the judge in the case, declined to comment when asked whether his client may plead guilty in order to resolve the case.The prosecution has made serious missteps in the case, including erroneously accusing Butina of offering sex in exchange for a position in a special interest group. They later backed off the claim and earned scorn from the judge, who said the incorrect allegations were "notorious" and had damaged Butina's reputation.Butina's lawyers have previously identified the Russian official with whom she was accused of working as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russia's central bank who was hit with U.S. Treasury Department sanctions in April.They identified one of the two Americans mentioned in the criminal complaint as being Paul Erickson, a conservative U.S. political activist who was dating Butina. Neither Erickson nor Torshin have been accused by prosecutors of wrongdoing.Questions relating to Russia have cast a shadow over Trump's presidency. Moscow has labeled the case against Butina "fabricated" and called for her release.Prosecutors have called Butina a flight risk and said she had been in contact with Russian intelligence operatives and kept contact information for several Russian agents.US judge orders White House to restore press pass to CNN's AcostaUS vice president vows no end to trade action with China until it changesCalifornia searches for 1,000 missing in its deadliest fireTrump's attorney general appointment challenged at Supreme Court
US prosecutors talking with accused Russian agent to resolve case