CIA/MEDIA/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday [12-11-18] that he stood by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince despite a CIA assessment that he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and pleas from U.S. senators for Trump to condemn the kingdom’s de facto ruler. Trump refused to comment on whether Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the murder, but he provided perhaps his most explicit show of support for the prince since Khashoggi’s death more than two months ago…Asked by Reuters if standing by the kingdom meant standing by the prince, known as MbS, Trump responded: ‘Well, at this moment, it certainly does.’ Some members of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family are agitating to prevent MbS from becoming king, sources close to the royal court have told Reuters, and believe that the United States and Trump could play a determining role…While Trump has condemned the murder of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist who was often critical of MbS, he has given the benefit of the doubt to the prince with whom he has cultivated a deep relationship. Trump again reiterated on Tuesday that the ‘crown prince vehemently denies’ involvement in a killing that has sparked outrage around the world.”
–Steve Holland, Roberta Rampton, “Exclusive: Trump says standing by Saudi crown prince despite pleas from Senate,” Reuters, December 11, 2018 4:26 pm