Sen. Tim Kaine, Virginia Democrat, called out President Trump on Wednesday, the anniversary of the death of U.S.-based dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the White House has failed to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the brutal murder.
“The president has dismissed evidence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s responsibility for the murder, sold his regime weapons for the disastrous war in Yemen, and put our country’s nuclear know-how into his hands,” Mr. Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee, said in a statement. “It’s clear that our relationship with Saudi Arabia must change.”
Khashoggi, who was a Virginia resident and a frequent critic of the Saudi government, disappeared on Oct. 2, 2018, after walking into the Saudi consulate in Turkey to collect papers for his wedding. His body was allegedly dismembered by a bone saw, and his remains have yet to be found.
Eleven Saudi officials have been put on trial for the killing, but the crown prince has denied knowing of the mission.
Mr. Kaine has called for an FBI investigation into the matter, after the United Nations concluded Saudi Arabia was responsible for Khashoggi’s death, but a formal probe has yet to be conducted by U.S. authorities.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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