Trump ‘concerned’ about disappearance of Saudi journalist
President Trump on Monday said he is “concerned” about the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who is critical of his country’s government.
“I am concerned about it,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House. “I don’t like hearing about it and hopefully that will sort itself out.”
Khashoggi went missing late last week after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Turkish official have said they believe the journalist was killed inside the facility, but Saudi officials have denied those allegations.
{mosads}Trump did not weigh in on whether he believes the Turkish accusation but he appeared to reference the reports.
“Right now nobody knows anything about it, but there’s some pretty bad stories going around. I do not like it,” he said.
The disappearance of Khashoggi could affect U.S.-Saudi relations, which have been especially tight under Trump.
The administration has formed a close relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohamad Bin Salman, who has billed himself as a reformer but has also drawn international criticism for his aggressive efforts to consolidate power.
Hours before Trump’s statement, U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom and France expressed alarm at Khashoggi’s disappearance.
Khashoggi is a U.S. resident who has written for The Washington Post and other outlets.
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