Intel: Why Congress launched federal probe of Saudi crown prince
Frustrated with President Donald Trump’s muted response to Saudi Arabia’s murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Congress has triggered a federal probe into Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s alleged involvement. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and top Democrat Bob Menendez, D-N.J., used a 2016 human rights law to launch the investigation on Tuesday after Trump released a lengthy statement ardently defending Saudi Arabia.
“Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures,” Menendez tweeted. “Now Pres. Trump must SPECIFICALLY determine if Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.”
The Global Magnitsky Act probe requires the Trump administration to officially report to Congress on intelligence agencies’ conclusions regarding bin Salman's alleged role in ordering Khashoggi’s killing. However, the administration can opt not to pursue sanctions even if it concludes the crown prince was involved.
Why it matters: The probe reflects a strong bipartisan backlash against Trump’s efforts to shield the prince from accountability despite reports that the CIA believes he ordered Khashoggi’s assassination. Trump’s statement directly challenged Congress and accused lawmakers of taking a hard line on Saudi Arabia “for political or other reasons.”
