Donald Trump Just Posted a Tweet Praising Saudi Arabia for Lower Oil Prices and People Are Calling Him Out for Exactly the Reason You Think

Another source told CNN the mission’s organizer was not transparent about what he told Riyadh, which, the source said, explained why the government had no clear information for days.

A Turkish official told the network that Khashoggi’s body was cut into pieces after he was killed.

Yesterday, however, the president, in a 649-word-statement, there was “nothing definitive” linking the Crown Prince to the murder.

“Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!" the president said. "That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

The president's response to the scandal has been criticized as largely ineffectual.

The president initially told Washington Post reporters that “obviously there’s been deception, and there’s been lies” regarding Khashoggi’s killing. But he also said Saudi Arabia is “an incredible ally” and pushed back against assertions that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered Saudi operatives to kill the reporter.

“Nobody has told me he’s responsible. Nobody has told me he’s not responsible. We haven’t reached that point . . . I would love if he wasn’t responsible,” Trump said at the time.

Trump characterized Saudi Arabia’s explanation for Khashoggi’s killing as “credible,” but defended his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s close relationship with the crown prince amid concerns that it had become a liability for the White House.

“They’re two young guys. Jared doesn’t know him well or anything. They are just two young people. They are the same age. They like each other, I believe,” Trump said.

The president also shot down the possibility that the scandal would disrupt U.S.-Saudi arms sales.

“It’s the largest order in history,” Trump said. “To give that up would hurt us far more than it hurts them. Then all they’ll do is go to Russia or go to China. All that’s doing is hurting us.” He added: “With that being said, something will take place,” though he did not elaborate as to what those actions might be.