Even as the Turkish government continues to leak information connecting the government of Saudi Arabia to the disappearance and possible murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Donald Trump remains protective of the Saudi regime. “I think we have to find out what happened first,” Trump told The Associated Press in an interview. “Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent. I don’t like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way as far as I’m concerned.”
Earlier in the day, Trump tweeted that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had denied any knowledge of harm done to Khashoggi:
...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.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2018
Trump’s solicitude towards the Saudi government stands in contrast to the vocal condemnation being voiced by many other American politicians, including leading Republicans. Appearing on Fox and Friends, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said that the crown prince is “toxic” and “has got to go.” Graham promised to “sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia.”
On Wednesday, The Washington Post, a newspaper that has a special interest in the matter because it had employed Khashoggi as a columnist, condemned the Trump administration for conducting a “diplomatic cleanup operation” on behalf of the Saudi government.