Trump criticizes rush to condemn Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi

U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday criticized rapidly mounting global condemnation of Saudi Arabia over the case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi, warning of a rush to judgment.

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who had written critically of the Saudi crown prince, vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed, which the Saudis strongly deny. 

In an interview with The Associated Press, Trump compared the situation to the allegations of sexual assault levelled against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing.

"I think we have to find out what happened first," he said. "Here we go again with, you know, you're guilty until proven innocent. I don't like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way as far as I'm concerned."

Trump spoke Tuesday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Monday with King Salman. He said both deny any knowledge of what happened to Khashoggi, who entered their country's consulate two weeks ago and hasn't been seen since.

Trump's tweets come as a high-level Turkish official told The Associated Press Tuesday that police searching the Saudi Consulate found evidence that Khashoggi was killed there.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, met with Saudi Arabia's King Salman and his heir amid international outcry over the disappearance of the Saudi journalist.

Pompeo smiled and shook hands with both men, who warmly greeted him just hours after the Turkish forensic team finished their search.

Trump, who dispatched Pompeo to Riyadh amid strained ties with the key ally, had previously speculated that "rogue killers" may be responsible.

'Push harder' for truth, publisher says

Members of Khashoggi's family have called for "an independent and impartial international" investigation.

Fred Ryan, publisher and CEO of the Washington Post, issued a statement Tuesday saying that the government of Saudi Arabia owes Khashoggi's family and the world a "full and honest" explanation of what happened. He added that the news organization stands with the missing journalist's family and the UN in calling for an independent international probe into the case.

"The Saudi government can no longer remain silent, and it is essential that our own government and others push harder for the truth," Ryan's statement said.

"Until we have a full account and full accountability, it cannot be business as usual with the Saudi government."

Overnight, Turkish crime scene investigators entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, the last place Khashoggi was seen before vanishing, and searched the premises for over nine hours, Reuters witnesses said.

Turkey's ruling party, meanwhile, said a "whitewash" of the investigation into the disappearance is out of the question.

Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik said Tuesday that Turkey was determined to shed light on what happened to Khashoggi, who went missing after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.

Celik told reporters: "Our priority is to find out what happened, how it happened and who did it."

Turkish state media also reported that Saudi Consul Mohammed al-Otaibi left the country amid the probe.

Executives shun investment conference

The case has provoked an international outcry against the world's top oil exporter, with media and business executives pulling out of an investment conference next week.

HSBC CEO John Flint backed out on Tuesday, as did the CEOs of Standard Chartered and Credit Suisse.

During the initial consulate search, CNN reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia was preparing to acknowledge Khashoggi's death in a botched interrogation, after denying for two weeks any role in his disappearance.

The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the Saudi plans, reported the crown prince had approved an interrogation or abduction of Khashoggi. It said the Saudi government, which could not be reached immediately for comment on the reports, would shield the prince by blaming an intelligence official for the bungled operation.

Turkish authorities have an audio recording indicating that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, a Turkish official and a security source have told Reuters, and have shared evidence with countries including Saudi Arabia and the U.S. 

Consulate search

Some 10 Turkish investigators left the consulate before 5 a.m. local time and a Turkish prosecutor departed around 90 minutes later, followed shortly after by a Saudi team, witnesses said.

Forensic tests like spraying luminol, a chemical mixture, can expose blood left behind, said Mechthild Prinz, an associate professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice who previously worked at the New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

After being told that a cleaning crew walked into the consulate before the team arrived, she said: "You saw that? Wow. That's going to be a problem."

Forensic vehicles took away soil samples as well as a metal door from the garden, the Reuters witness said. A police dog was part of the search team.

The UN human rights chief on Tuesday said immunity on diplomatic premises and officials should be lifted for the Khashoggi investigation.

Trump has threatened "severe punishment" if it turns out Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, but ruled out cancelling arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars. European allies have urged accountability for those responsible.

Many members of the U.S. Congress have issued strong criticism of the kingdom.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had Khashoggi "murdered" in the Saudi consulate in Turkey and has "tainted" his country as a result. The influential Republican and ally of the president said the the crown prince "has got to go." Graham said he will not return to Saudi Arabia while the prince is in power.

Graham said on Fox & Friends that he has been the "biggest defender" of the kingdom, but that he now plans to "sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia."

Saudi Arabia has said it would retaliate against any pressure or economic sanctions "with greater action," and Arab allies have rallied to support it.

Family statement

Khashoggi, a familiar face on Arab talk shows, moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his criticism of Prince Mohammed, who has cracked down on dissent with arrests.

The insider never shied away from criticizing Saudi policies, but gained prominence in many circles, including as an adviser to former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal.

Khashoggi's fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate the day he disappeared, tweeted a Koranic verse warning those who kill on purpose, with the hashtag "Jamal is the Martyr of the Word."

A pro-government Turkish daily published preliminary evidence last week from investigators who it said had identified a 15-member Saudi intelligence team that arrived in Istanbul on diplomatic passports hours before Khashoggi disappeared. One of the names matches a LinkedIn profile for a forensic expert who has worked at the Saudi Interior Ministry for 20 years.