Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized President Donald Trump for supporting the Saudi Crown Prince in light of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump’s defense of Mohammed Bin Salman, despite CIA allegations linking him to the brutal killing, drew Pence’s disapproval.
During Salman’s visit to the Oval Office, Trump downplayed the murder, stating he believed Salman had no knowledge of it. Pence, speaking after an event at the Chatham House Think Tank in London, expressed disagreement with Trump’s remarks, emphasizing that he would not have made the same statement.
Pence highlighted the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship but indicated that his approach in the situation would have differed from Trump’s welcoming treatment of Salman, including a military jet flypast and trumpets upon his arrival.
Khashoggi’s tragic murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, followed by the gruesome dismemberment, led to international condemnation. Despite Saudi Arabia’s assertions of conducting a thorough investigation, evidence suggested tampering and led the UN to attribute responsibility to the Saudi state for the premeditated killing.
Trump’s response to questions about the murder in the Oval Office was met with defensiveness towards the reporter, with threats to revoke broadcasting licenses. Salman acknowledged the murder as a mistake and assured efforts to prevent such incidents in the future.
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