Reed Calls for U.S. to Step Up Probe into Whereabouts of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, who was last seen visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week, and whom human rights officials and Turkish government officials believe may have been murdered there:

“I am deeply disturbed by the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi government’s alleged role.

“If these allegations are proven, the Trump Administration must hold Saudi Arabia and anyone else involved accountable.

“President Trump must also recognize that his repeated attacks on the free press and praise of authoritarian regimes do not go unnoticed by other world leaders.

“When President Trump repeatedly praises men like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un and turns a blind eye to human rights abuses of authoritarian regimes, he undercuts American leadership in the world.

“The U.S. needs to provide all available intelligence and other resources to enable a credible investigation into the fate of Mr. Khashoggi, wherever the facts lead.

“In taking a hard look at what happened to Mr. Khashoggi, we must determine what happened to him, how, and why.  And whoever is responsible must be held accountable.”