Nevertheless, the Biden administration disclosed Friday that the U.S. won’t penalize Bin Salman for the death of journalist Khashoggi. The White House argued that penalizing the crown prince will negatively impact the United States – Saudi cooperation in counterterrorism and Iran files.
Pres. Biden doesn’t intend to penalize Bin Salman
Pres. Biden said Saturday that his administration would make an announcement Monday regarding the U.S – Saudi relations. Furthermore, a White House official said that Monday’s announcement will clarify actions taken by the U.S. on Friday.
“The recalibration of relations with Saudi Arabia began on January 20th and it’s ongoing,” the official told NBC News. “The administration took a wide range of new actions on Friday. The President is referring to the fact that on Monday, the State Department will provide more details and elaborate on those announcements, not new announcements.”
Khashoggi was a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist. Prior to his assasination, Khashoggi criticized the Saudi royal family, alleging a history of corruption and oppression. On Oct. 2, 2018, Khashoggi entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul and his body vanished since that moment. Khashoggi was lured under false pretense, suffocated and dismembered. Audio recordings documenting his final moments were made and released to the public.
