Mr Trump stunned the international community when he pledged to remain a “steadfast partner” of Saudi Arabia while accepting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have known about the plot to murder the Washington Post columnist. The US President has now tweeted a message of thanks to the Saudi rulers for a recent drop in oil prices, likening it to “a big tax cut” that could boost the US and global economies. He said: “Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World. Enjoy! $54, was just $82. Thank you to Saudi Arabia, but let’s go lower!”
Mr Trump earlier rejected calls to scrap military deals with the kingdom saying it would be a “foolish” move that would only benefit Russia and China, competitors of the US in the arms market.
He said Saudi Arabia was an important business partner and a “great ally” in the fight against Iranian power in the Middle East.
But Washington’s continued support of Saudi Arabia comes despite CIA intelligence suggesting Mr Khashoggi’s killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was ordered directly by Prince Mohammed, the oil-rich kingdom’s de facto ruler.
Mr Trump issued a lengthy statement yesterday in which he contradicted the CIA’s claims of the crown prince’s involvement, saying: “Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t”.
But his comments were branded “comic” by Turkey which has accused the US of turning a blind eye to Mr Khashoggi’s murder.
Numan Kurtulmus, deputy chairman of President Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party, said: “Yesterday’s statement is a comic statement.
“It is not possible for an intelligence agency such as the CIA, which even knows the colour of the fur on the cat walking around the Saudi consulate’s garden, to not know who gave this order.
“This is not credible either for US public opinion or the world public opinion.”
Turkey inisists the order to kill Mr Khashoggi came from the “highest levels” of the Saudi government although it has not directly accused Prince Mohammed.
Riyadh has denied the crown prince ordered the killing but after offering numerous contradictory explanations said last week the journalist had been killed and his body dismembered when “negotiations” to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia failed.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who held talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington yesterday, said Ankara was not satisfied with the level of cooperation it was receiving from Saudi Arabia regarding the case and warned it may seek a formal UN inquiry.