WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump link boastedthat he saved Saudi Arabia’s crown princelink from greater scrutiny overthe killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to an explosive newbook.
In one of 18 interviews with legendary investigative reporter BobWoodward, Trumpdefended Mohammed bin Salman link thegruesome murder inside a Saudi consulate of Khashoggi, a US-based critic ofthe crown prince’s link rule. “Isaved his ass,” Trump told Woodward for his forthcoming book “Rage,”according to an excerpt published Thursday by Business Insider. “I was ableto get Congress to leave him alone. I was able to get them to stop,” Trumpsaid.
In an echo of the infamous 2018 summit with Russian President VladimirPutin in which the US leader appeared to accept his denials of electionmeddling, Trump noted that Prince Mohammed denied involvement. “He willalways say that he didn’t do it,” Trump was quoted as telling Woodward. “Hesays that to everybody, and frankly I’m happy that he says that. But hewill say that to you, he will say that to Congress, and he will say that toeverybody.
He’s never said he did it.” Khashoggi’s killinglink triggered an uproar among USlawmakers but the Trump administration has stood by Saudi Arabia,link including controversiallybypassing Congress for an $8 billion arms deal. As he has said publicly,Trump defended his stance by pointing to the major oil producer’s purchasesof US goods, including weapons. “He says very strongly that he didn’t doit,” Trump was quoted as telling Woodward. “Bob, they spent $400 billionover a fairly short period of time.”
Read Top Stories
Khashoggi — who wrote opinion pieces for The Washington Post, Woodward’snewspaper — was lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018to handle marriage paperwork. Within minutes, the onetime royal insiderturned critic was strangled to death with his body then dismembered,according to Turkish and US officials. A Saudi court on Monday handed jailterms of between seven to 20 years to eight unnamed defendants andoverturned five death sentences, in a final ruling condemned by Khashoggi’sfiancee and a UN rights expert.
Courtesy: (AFP)
