Speaking on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, Monday, US President Donald Trump told reporters, „I’m not satisfied“ with the explanation he received from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death earlier this month at their consulate in Istanbul.
Noting that Saudi Arabia had indicated its investigation into Khashoggi’s death might take one month, Trump told reporters „that’s a long time“ and that he thought more would be known about the controversial case „very soon.“
After disappearing on October 2, Khashoggi was finally confirmed dead by the Saudi public prosecutor on October 19, who said on Saudi state media that the journalist had died during an altercation between him and other people inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul when he came to get necessary papers for his upcoming marriage.
Saudi state television announced Monday that the Saudi Crown Prince had met with US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. The US Treasury is responsible for managing economic sanctions against other countries, which Trump previously said he would not rule out.
On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel sounded the tocsin for European Union member states to halt weapons sales to the Saudi state.
„I agree with all those who say that the already limited arms exports […] can’t take place in the situation we’re currently in,“ Merkel told reporters in Berlin, Sputnik reported . „Concerning arms exports: that is impossible under the circumstances we see.“
