Khashoggi affair is ‘worst cover-up’: Trump

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Saudi authorities staged the “worst cover-up ever” in the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi this month, as the United States vowed to revoke visas of some of those believed to be responsible.

Somebody really messed up. And they had the worst cover-up ever.” US President Donald Trump

Trump spoke hours after Turkey’s president, Tayyip Erdogan, dismissed Saudi efforts to blame Khashoggi’s death on rogue operatives. Erdogan urged Riyadh to search “from top to bottom” to uncover those behind Khashoggi’s death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct 2, an incident that has prompted global outrage and strained relations between Riyadh and Washington.

Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office how the Khashoggi killing could have happened, Trump said: “They had a very bad original concept. It was carried out poorly, and the cover-up was one of the worst in the history of cover-ups.”

Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was a US resident and Washington Post columnist.

Trump’s comments in recent days have ranged from threatening Saudi Arabia with “very severe” consequences and mentioning possible economic sanctions, to more conciliatory remarks highlighting the country’s role as a US ally.

On Tuesday, Trump said the Khashoggi matter was handled badly by Saudi officials. “Bad deal, should have never been thought of. Somebody really messed up. And they had the worst cover-up ever,” Trump said.

Trump did not give his views on who was ultimately responsible. But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US has identified some of the Saudi government and security officials it believes were involved in Khashoggi’s murder and would take appropriate actions, including revoking visas.

Trump said he would work with Congress to determine the US response to the Khashoggi matter.