Saudi Should Be Presumed Innocent Over Missing Jamal Khashoggi— Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump pushed back Tuesday at global
condemnation of Saudi Arabia over the disappearance and suspected
murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the kingdom deserved
to be presumed innocent.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Trump drew a parallel
with the accusations of sexual assault that nearly brought down his
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven
innocent,” he said. “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.”

“I think we have to find out what happened first,” Trump
said.

An insider turned critic of Saudi Arabia’s conservative
monarchy, Khashoggi was last seen on October 2 when he entered the
Saudi consulate in Istanbul to sort out marriage paperwork.

His disappearance has strained relations with Washington amid
strong pressure in Congress and the US media to prevent the issue
from being swept under the carpet.

Trump sent Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Riyadh to talk
directly with Saudi Arabia’s royals, and himself spoke earlier
Tuesday with powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who assured
him a “full” probe was underway.

Saudi Arabia is one of the closest US partners in a bid to
undermine Iran and also a massive client of the US weapons
industry.

At the prompting of Trump’s son in law and advisor Jared
Kushner, his administration has made good relations with Mohammed —
portrayed as a Saudi modernizer — a priority.

Trump earlier threatened “severe punishment” if it is proven
that Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate. But he also mused
aloud that “rogue” elements may have carried out the operation and
has ruled out cutting sales of US weapons, of which Saudi Arabia is
the largest foreign buyer.