Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday he plans to pressure Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to hold accountable the individuals involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“We will continue to have a conversation with the crown prince and the Saudis about ensuring the accountability is full and complete with respect to the unacceptable murder of Jamal Khashoggi,” he told reporters in Qatar.
Pompeo — who is in the midst of an eight-day tour of the Middle East — will soon travel to Saudi Arabia, months after Khashoggi was killed in October in the country’s Istanbul consulate.
The event sparked international backlash and intensified pressure on the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Despite U.S. intelligence suggesting associates closely linked to Crown Prince Mohammed carried out the act, aides to the crown prince were exonerated by Saudi prosecutors and charges were brought against 11 other individuals.
The Senate previously advanced a resolution that placed the blame for the killing on Crown Prince Mohammed. However, President Trump has struck a more cautious tone in an attempt to maintain the strategic alliance between the two countries and questioned whether the crown prince was aware of the plans.
Saudi Arabia recently praised the White House’s “prudent position” on the matter. Pompeo previously drew criticism for his friendly interactions with Crown Prince Mohammed during a prior visit to the country shortly after the murder.
