Biden confronts Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi murder, expects action on energy


FE Team | Published: July 16, 2022 08:43:15 | Updated: July 20, 2022 18:47:56


Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fist bumps US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al Salman Palace, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS

Biden, speaking after meetings with Saudi Arabia's top leaders, said the crown prince, known as MbS, denied involvement and said he had held those responsible to account.

Biden shared a fist bump with MbS and shook hands with King Salman after arriving in Saudi Arabia, Reuters reports.

"With respect to the murder of Khashoggi, I raised it at the top of the meeting, making it clear what I thought of it at the time and what I think about it now," Biden told reporters.

"I was straight forward and direct in discussing it. I made my view crystal clear. I said very straightforwardly, for an American president to be silent on an issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am."

US intelligence says the crown prince directly approved the murder of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider-turned-critic, by Saudi agents. Biden said what happened to Khashoggi was outrageous.

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