Despite CIA Conclusion, Trump Says Saudi Crown Prince Maybe Didn’t Know About Murder Plot
President Donald Trump continues to act as an ambivalent actor between his own intelligence agencies and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, suggesting on Tuesday that he doesn’t know whether or not Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman knew about an alleged plot to kill a dissident journalist.
The CIA concluded earlier this week that bin Salman, who is sometimes known as MBS, was not only aware of the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi that took place earlier last month but that he had also ordered the killing himself, according to reporting from CNN. The agency’s conclusion was based in part on audio recordings discovered by the Turkish government, as Khashoggi, who frequently criticized the leadership style of the crown prince, was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
