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Trump vows 'severe punishment' if journalist Khashoggi killed by Saudi
US President Donald Trump has said Saudi Arabia could be behind the disappearance of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi and warned Washington would inflict “severe punishment” if he was murdered.
The Saudi critic has not been seen since he walked into the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on October 2, with Turkish officials accusing Riyadh of murdering him inside the diplomatic mission.
“We're going to get to the bottom of it and there will be severe punishment,” Trump told CBS's “60 Minutes” programme, according to an extract of an interview that was released on Saturday.
“As of this moment, they deny it and they deny it vehemently. Could it be them? Yes,” Trump said in the interview, which was conducted on Thursday, when asked if Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi Arabia.
The network said it will air the interview in full on Sunday evening.
Also read: US seeks answers about missing writer Jamal Khashoggi from Saudi ally
Trump added the matter was especially important “because this man was a reporter.” But when asked what options Trump would consider, the president said he was not keen to limit arms sales to the kingdom — a position he has previously voiced.
“Well, it depends on what the sanction is,” he said.
“I'll give you an example — they are ordering military equipment. Everybody in the world wanted that order. Russia wanted it, China wanted it, we wanted it. We got it, and we got all of it, every bit of it."
He added: “I'll tell you what I don't want to do. Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, I don't want to hurt jobs. I don't want to lose an order like that.
"And you know what, there are other ways of punishing, to use a word that's a pretty harsh word, but it's true."
Comments (22) Closed
'severe punishment' by Donald Trump !!
Other ways of punishing? Please tell us what other ways there are?
His son-in-law Jared Kushner has multi-billion dollar partnerships with the companies of Bin Salman. He'll do nothing more than a phone calling asking MBS to be careful in the future.
Can I ask what you have to do with Khashoggi
Apple watch has already spilled the beans!
Trump was for long complaining about higher oil prices to Saudis. They didn't listen. And now Trump has got them under the carpet. Trump knows very well how to make deals. Mark my words, oil prices will start coming down in next few weeks.
Walk the Talk Mr. Trump, the President of the USA.
Nothing US can or would do.USS most of the time "looks the other way" but SA can cancel US arms deals or delay in making payments and go to European who would gladly welcome it. The US has no leverage on SA only lip service. The US nourished ruthless policies for decades.US is a a partner in crime
Trump is a serious and no non sense president. Saudi should not mess up with him. Erdoganhas just got the hitting from Trump and understood it well. He just fell in to the line by accepting US demands. If Saudis have murderettue journalist, they will surely be at the receiving end.
TRUMPS test case to prove if they are the Super Power.
The Blowhard is at it again. USA cannot afford to initiate any worthwhile sanctions on the Saudis.
his vows are changed hourly via Twitter, so no real meaning. will he mess with one of his biggest arms customers, NO.
Not likely, unless the US Congress pushes him. Otherwise he is all talk and money talks. He is only focused on the transactional nature of the relationship, which allows the US to sell over $110 Billion worth of Arms to the Saudis over the next ten years. These expensive arms which the Saudis will no doubt use to supress their own people or to bomb and subjegate people in the neighboring countries, namely, Bahrain and Yemen.
Seeing is believing, I will believe Trump's words when he acts on the these words to really punish the Saudis for the murderous regime it is.
This is why I respect Trump
KSA is going to be in trouble
Will Trump harm US national interests for the sake of an Arab?
Not a chance. Saudi Arabia is too vital an ally for the US and Israel against Iran.
Let’s have more oil from KSA he meant to say.
Jamal Khashoggi's blood will not go in vain, it will certainly effect oil prices!
Trump is a businessman, he will try to get some businesses for companies he is owner.
@NK he is a US citizen
I am starting to like him
"Severe punishment" to whom? The guy who just supported the US economy and industrial military complex by investing over $100 billion in it?