Trump’s defense of Saudis puts dissidents at risk around the world

President Trump’s inability to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the heinous murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi not only thwarts American values — it undermines America’s standing on the world stage.

Over the past month, Trump has repeatedly defended the Saudi government even as evidence has mounted not only that Saudi officials knew about the Oct. 2 death of Khashoggi, but actually ordered the killing.

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and the Saudi war in Yemen, disappeared after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He went to the consulate to take care of paperwork for his upcoming marriage.

On Oct. 20, after weeks of denials from the Saudis about knowing anything about Khashoggi’s death, the Saudis put forward a dubious story that Khashoggi died at the consulate after a fistfight with over a dozen Saudis.

That same day, President Trump not only told reporters he thought the story was credible, but noted that he didn’t want to compromise a $110 billion arms deal with the Saudis, “which means 600,000 jobs.” He also claimed the Saudis agreed to invest and spend $450 billion in total in the United States.

Fact checkers including Politifact immediately noted that 600,000 jobs weren’t actually on the line, that only $14.5 billion in sales have actually been implemented and that there has been no evidence for the $450 billion figure.

In the weeks since Oct. 20, Turkish officials and even the CIA have not only indicated that Khashoggi was intentionally murdered at the Saudi consulate, but that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered it.

Yet, on Nov. 20, in a bizarre statement defending the Saudis, the president repeated his unsubstantiated claims about $450 billion in economic deals with the Saudis, offered a tepid condemnation of Khashoggi’s murder, noted that the Saudis considered Khashoggi an “enemy of the state,” said that maybe the crown prince knew or didn’t know about the murder and wrapped it all up by noting that “Saudi Arabia is the largest oil-producing nation in the world.”

Days later, on Nov. 22, Trump insisted the CIA “did not come to a conclusion” about Khashoggi’s murder.

Since then, Democratic and Republican senators alike have condemned the president’s defense of the Saudis and their version of events.

“I disagree with the president’s assessment. It’s inconsistent with the intelligence I’ve seen,” said Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. “Intelligence I’ve seen suggests this was ordered by the crown prince.”

Likewise, asked if Trump was lying about whether the CIA had in fact come to a conclusion, Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, told CNN, ”Yes. The CIA concluded that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was directly involved in the assassination of Khashoggi.”

In light of all these facts, we are disturbed by President Trump’s apparent eagerness to overlook barbaric conduct by an economic ally. It undermines American credibility on human rights matters and affirms that the U.S. will stand with tyrants so long as they make the right investments.

This sends a dangerous message that puts dissidents at risk the world over. Our nation must respond to Saudi crimes in a strong, proportionate way sending a clear message that such behavior is unacceptable.