CABINET/CIA/JAMES MATTIS/MEDIA/MIKE POMPEO/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Two senior U.S. Cabinet members urged senators on Wednesday [11-28-18] not to downgrade ties with Saudi Arabia over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but lawmakers from both parties said they could not turn a blind eye to reports that the country’s de facto ruler was involved in last month’s killing. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said there was no hard evidence that the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing, seemingly contradicting an assessment by the CIA about Khashoggi’s death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul..After repeated calls from members of Congress for a strong U.S. response to Khashoggi’s death, both Mattis and Pompeo briefed the Senate behind closed doors about Saudi Arabia, the Oct. 2 murder of Khashoggi and the war in Yemen. Echoing similar comments from President Donald Trump, they said downgrading U.S. ties with ally Saudi Arabia would harm national security.”
–Patricia Zengerle, Doina Chiacu, “U.S. Cabinet members defend close Saudi ties, lawmakers unconvinced,” Reuters, November 28, 2018 7:48 am