Trump ‘bragged about protecting Saudi ruler’
DONALD Trump boasted that he protected Saudi Arabia’s crown prince over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a new book claims.
Mohammed bin Salman has been accused of ordering the dismembering of Mr Khashoggi who was a royal insider before turning fierce critic.
He has always denied any involvement in what he says was a rogue operation by members of his security services.
Mr Trump is now said to have claimed he kept the royal, known as MBS, from congressional scrutiny because the Saudis spend billions of dollars on US products.
Assassinated: Jamal Kashoggi The allegation was made in the latest excerpt from a book by Watergate journalist Bob Woodward, who interviewed the president 18 times.
Mr Woodward said he asked Mr Trump about the 2018 killing of
Mr Khashoggi during a late-night call in January this year and pressed him on the crown prince’s alleged involvement.
‘I saved his a**,’ the book quotes Mr Trump as saying. ‘I was able to get Congress to leave him alone. I was able to get them to stop. I understand what you’re saying, and I’ve gotten involved very much. I know everything about the whole situation. He will always say that he didn’t do it.
‘He says that to everybody, and frankly I’m happy that he says that. But he will say that to you, he will say that to Congress, and he will say that to everybody. He’s never said he did it.’
Mr Woodward said he was cut off by the president when he pushed the matter, being told: ‘He says very strongly that he didn’t do it. Bob, they spent $400billion over a fairly short period of time.
‘And you know, they’re in the Middle East. You know, they’re big. Because of their religious monuments, you know, they have the real power. They have the oil, but they also have the great monuments for religion. You know that, right? For that religion.
‘They wouldn’t last a week if we’re not there, and they know it.’ When Mr Trump was questioned at a press conference about what ‘saved his a**’ meant – he struggled for an answer, telling a CNN reporter: ‘You’ll have to figure that out yourself.’
news@dailymail.ie
‘They have great monuments’