Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman doubled down Tuesday on his denial of involvement in the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, telling President Trump in a phone call that Riyadh supports a complete investigation of the case.
“Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate,” Mr. Trump tweeted, adding the call took place while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was meeting with the crown prince in Riyadh.
“[The crown prince] told me that he has already started, and will rapidly expand, a full and complete investigation into this matter,” Mr. Trump wrote. “Answers will be forthcoming shortly.”
It was not immediately clear what the president meant by “forthcoming shortly” — a comment that came amid reports Tuesday that the Saudi government may soon claim Mr. Khashoggi was killed at the consulate in an interrogation gone wrong.
Turkish authorities have said they fear Mr. Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen and critic of the Saudi ruling family, was killed and dismembered by a Saudi “hit squad” inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
Saudi officials have previously called the allegations “baseless.”
The case has triggered international intrigue and caused headaches for Washington amid calls from lawmakers for the Trump administration to reconsider its close alliance with Saudi Arabia.
Tuesday’s developments came a day after Mr. Trump caused a stir by floating the notion that “rogue killers” — not Saudi government operatives, as suspected by Turkey — may have murdered the journalist two weeks ago.
Mr. Trump’s raised the notion after a phone conversation with the crown prince’s father, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, whom the president said also “firmly denied any knowledge” of a plot against Mr. Khashoggi.
The comments drew criticism Monday in Washington, where some quickly accused Mr. Trump of being spun by the 82-year-old king.
President Trump has dispatched Mr. Pompeo to the region. The secretary of state met Tuesday in Riyadh with King Salman and the Saudi crown prince, and is slated to travel Wednesday to Turkey for meetings with officials there.
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.
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