WASHINGTON (HRNW) – The White House on Monday defended plans for President Joe Biden to meet with Saudi Arabia s crown prince, despite US intelligence determining that he ordered the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Officials said that while Biden s trip to Saudi Arabia was not yet confirmed, the expected visit will serve US national interests, regardless of 36-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman s involvement in the 2018 murder of Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post.
“This trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia — when it comes — would be in the context of significant deliverables for the American people in the Middle East region,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
“If he determines that it s in the interest of the United States to engage with a foreign leader and that such an engagement can deliver results, then he ll do so,” she said.
Saudi Arabia “has been a strategic partner of the United States for nearly 80 years. There s no question that important interests are interwoven with” the country.
Speculation had been rife that Biden would make his first visits as president to both Israel and Saudi Arabia during the same travel period taking him to Germany and Spain for G7 and NATO summits this month.
Be the first to comment on "White House defends Biden plans for Saudi meeting"