The Biden Administration is set to release a new public report today that outlines the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and its conclusion, that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing.
While the intelligence, based primarily on the work of the CIA, is not new, it is expected to formally reset the relations between Saudi and the new administration.
The intelligence assessment was confirmed in 2018, but today’s public release of the report is expected to trigger a new relationship less friendly with the Saudi government than Trump’s.
In 2019, Trump bragged about saving the crown prince’s ass, in an interview with Bob Woodward.
“I saved his ass,” Trump said. “I was able to get Congress to leave him alone. I was able to get them to stop.”
“Do you believe that he did it?” Woodward asked.
“No, he says that he didn’t do it,” Trump replied.
On Wednesday Jen Psaki said, “The president’s intention, as is the intention of this government, is to recalibrate our engagement with Saudi Arabia.”
Biden would communicate with the Saudi king, rather than his son the crown prince, according to Psaki.
Report is from NBC.
