Trump On Whether He’s Sent FBI To Investigate Khashoggi’s Death: ‘He Wasn’t A Citizen’
As more and more gruesome details emerge over the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khoshoggi in a Saudi consulate, President Donald Trump has taken heat for providing cover to the Saudi Arabian government. His comments on Wednesday won’t do anything to stem the tide of criticism.
Speaking to reporters from the White House, the president was asked why he hadn’t sent the FBI to investigate the situation following Khashoggi’s disappearance over two weeks ago. Trump responded that he didn’t find it necessary since the journalist, an outspoken dissident from Saudi Arabia living in the United States, wasn’t an American citizen.
“Well, he wasn’t a citizen of this country for one thing and we’re going to determine [what happened],” Trump told the reporter. “And you don’t know whether or not we have, do you?”
Trump then began barking at the reporter, “Do you know whether we have sent the FBI? I’m not going to tell you. Why would I tell you?”
Asked by another press corps member if he’s asked for the audio and video recordings that Turkey says reveal the full details of Khashoggi’s murder at the hands of a Saudi Arabian hit team, Trump stated that he has “asked for it — if it exists.”
The president went on to reiterate that he’d want the recording “if it exists,” pointing out that he doesn’t know if there are recordings but thinks they possibly exist.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is returning from a short Saudi Arabian trip where he was pictured smiling with the crown prince. Pompeo told reporters that he doesn’t want to “talk about any of the facts” on Khashoggi and the Saudis “didn’t want to either.”
Watch the clip above, via CNN.
