Journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s editor at The Washington Post on Tuesday blasted President Trump’s statement on Saudi Arabia, calling it “a new low.”
Karen Attiah said that the statement “is full of lies and a blatant disregard for his own intelligence agencies.”
“It also shows an unforgivable disregard for the lives of Saudis who dare criticize the regime. This is a new low.”
Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. would keep a “steadfast” alliance with Saudi Arabia, making it clear that the president does not want the killing of Khashoggi to disrupt the relationship between the two nations.
The statement also refused to blame Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Khashoggi’s killing, even though the CIA has reportedly concluded that the prince ordered his killing. The CIA on Tuesday was expected to share its final report on the death with Trump.
Khashoggi, who had been critical of Saudi leadership, was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, and the Saudi government has said he was killed by a team that met him when he arrived at the building.
The Saudi government has insisted the crown prince had no knowledge of the operation, but numerous reports have cast doubt on the possibility that Crown Prince Mohammed would not have known about it.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power joined Attiah in criticizing Trump’s statement, calling it an “abomination that will define the ignorance, corruption, cruelty and recklessness of this presidency for generations to come.”