No reason to hear ‘terrible’ tape of Khashoggi murder, Trump says

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he did not want to listen to an audio recording of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, despite facing pressure to punish Saudi Arabia for the killing.

Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, and Turkey has given the US Government a recording of the murder, but Trump said he would not listen to it ‘‘because it’s a suffering tape, it’s a terrible tape’’.

‘‘I don’t want to hear the tape, no reason for me to hear the tape,’’ Trump told Fox News Sunday.

‘‘I know everything that went on in the tape without having to hear it . . . It was very violent, very vicious and terrible.’’

Trump also said he wanted to maintain a close alliance with Saudi Arabia despite Khashoggi’s death and questioned the alleged role of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is known as Mbs and is the kingdom’s de facto ruler.

‘‘He told me that he had nothing to do with it,’’ Trump said, adding that ‘‘many people’’ also said the crown prince had no knowledge of the killing.

The interview was taped hours before government sources said the CIA had briefed the Trump Administration on the murder and its belief Mbs ordered it.

Trump said on Sunday the CIA assessment was ‘‘very premature’’ and in the interview that aired yesterday he said it may never be possible to know who ordered Khashoggi’s murder.

Trump faces intense pressure from Democratic and Republican politicians to take tougher action against Saudi Arabia.

The Administration last week imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials for their alleged role in the killing, but did not target the Saudi Government.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump, said yesterday he had no doubt about Mbs’ involvement in ordering the murder of Khashoggi.

‘‘When it comes to the crown prince, he’s irrational; he’s unhinged and I think he’s done a lot of damage to the relationship [between] the United States and Saudi Arabia. And I have no intention of working with him ever again,’’ he said on NBC’s Meet the Press. — Reuters