Trump: No further penalty for Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump said the United States will not inflict any additional punishment on Saudi Arabia for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. A team of Saudi operatives killed the U.S.-based writer Oct. 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The United States has already levied sanctions against 17 Saudis accused of participating in the killing. Trump outlined the importance of U.S.-Saudi relations in a statement Tuesday and said that “foolishly” canceling $110 billion in arms sales as an additional step would only mean Saudi Arabia would go to other countries to acquire the weapons.

Amid speculation that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom Khashoggi had criticized, ordered the killing, Trump said King Salman and his son “vigorously deny” any foreknowledge of the crime. “It could well be that the crown prince had knowledge,” Trump said. “Maybe he did and maybe he didn’t.”