Trump bans CIA chief from briefing Senate on Khashoggi’s death

The US President Donald Trump stopped CIA Director Gina Haspel from briefing the Senate on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was killed by a Saudi hit squad in the kingdom’s consulate in Turkey.

Haspel travelled to Turkey last month and heard an audio recording of Khashoggi’s assassination and dismembering inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. She was due to speak to the Senate about the CIA’s findings on the case yesterday ahead of a planned vote on US arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE following their involvement in the Yemen war.

The CIA report concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered Khashoggi be killed, but Trump refused the conclusion.

Last week, Trump pledged to remain a Saudi ally, saying it was not clear whether Bin Salman was aware of the plan to murder Khashoggi.

The US president has been accused of “favouring” the Saudi crown prince and covering up for him in an effort to maintain arms deal worth hundred of billions of dollars.

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