World
11:47, 19-Nov-2018
Trump says does not want to hear tape of 'vicious' Khashoggi murder
Updated
11:05, 22-Nov-2018
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US President Donald Trump said he does not want to listen to an audio recording of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi despite facing mounting pressure to punish Saudi Arabia for the killing.
Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, and Turkey has given the US government a recording of the murder, but Trump said he would not listen to it, "because it's a suffering tape, it's a terrible tape."
"I don't want to hear the tape, no reason for me to hear the tape," Trump said during an interview with Fox News Sunday. "I know everything that went on in the tape without having to hear it ... It was very violent, very vicious and terrible."
Trump also said he wants to maintain a close alliance with Saudi Arabia despite Khashoggi's death and questioned the alleged role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Salah Khashoggi (R), the son of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and his relatives receive mourners in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, November 16, 2018. /VCG Photo
Salah Khashoggi (R), the son of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and his relatives receive mourners in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, November 16, 2018. /VCG Photo
"He told me that he had nothing to do with it," Trump said, adding that "many people" also said the crown prince had no knowledge of the killing.
The interview was taped on Friday, hours before government sources said the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had briefed the Trump administration on the murder and its belief that the crown prince ordered it.
Trump responded to the CIA assessment, describing it as "very premature" and said on Sunday that it may never be possible to know who ordered Khashoggi's murder.
Trump faces intense pressure from senior Democratic and Republican lawmakers to take tougher action against Saudi Arabia. Some have said Trump should suspend arms sales to the kingdom and drop his support for the crown prince, but Trump has so far resisted that pressure.
Last week, the US imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but did not target the Saudi government.
Source(s): Reuters