In a tense exchange, President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appeared to downplay their involvement in the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a joint press conference.
When asked by ABC News' Mary Bruce about their role in Khashoggi's assassination, Trump claimed that they were "not responsible" for the killing. He also stated that Saudi Arabia was cooperating fully with US investigations into the matter, although many have questioned the sincerity of these claims.
Bin Salman took a firmer stance on the issue, stating that his country was not behind the murder but rather "a victim" of terrorist attacks. This assertion has been widely disputed by Khashoggi's family and some 9/11 families who are outraged over the crown prince's visit to Washington last week.
The situation is growing increasingly complicated for Trump, as his administration continues to walk a tightrope between supporting Saudi Arabia's economic interests and responding to mounting criticism about its handling of the Khashoggi case. As the pressure mounts, it remains to be seen how far the president will go to defend the crown prince and Saudi Arabia in light of mounting evidence suggesting their direct involvement in the murder.
When asked by ABC News' Mary Bruce about their role in Khashoggi's assassination, Trump claimed that they were "not responsible" for the killing. He also stated that Saudi Arabia was cooperating fully with US investigations into the matter, although many have questioned the sincerity of these claims.
Bin Salman took a firmer stance on the issue, stating that his country was not behind the murder but rather "a victim" of terrorist attacks. This assertion has been widely disputed by Khashoggi's family and some 9/11 families who are outraged over the crown prince's visit to Washington last week.
The situation is growing increasingly complicated for Trump, as his administration continues to walk a tightrope between supporting Saudi Arabia's economic interests and responding to mounting criticism about its handling of the Khashoggi case. As the pressure mounts, it remains to be seen how far the president will go to defend the crown prince and Saudi Arabia in light of mounting evidence suggesting their direct involvement in the murder.
! I mean, come on, not being "responsible" for a journalist's assassination? That's some weak sauce right there. And Bin Salman's excuse about being a "victim" of terrorist attacks? Give me a break 
. The guy is trying to spin this and make the US look bad, but nobody's buying it.
. This whole situation is a mess, and I just hope he doesn't try to cover his tracks any further 
. The American people deserve better than this kind of nonsense from their president.
And Bin Salman is actin' all innocent about it too? It just seems so suspicious and I don't trust the Saudi government one bit. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that there's gotta be some kinda connection between the two... but at the same time, Trump's all like "we're just tryin' to help Saudi Arabia's economy" 
... meanwhile, Khashoggi's family is still searchin' for answers. It's just so messed up and I wish they'd get to the bottom of this already! 
. and trump's admin is walking this tightrope between business and ethics... good luck with that, you guys need a map 
. can't believe how many times i've written about this guy and he still manages to disappoint 