The White House described the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi as horrific, noting that the new administration will present the intelligence report on the case.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated at a press conference on Friday evening that the Biden administration will publish the unclassified report to Congress in full transparency regarding Khashoggi's murder, which she referred to as "the horrific crime." However, she did not clarify when this step would be taken. Biden had promised during his campaign to seek justice in Khashoggi's murder and hold those responsible accountable, affirming his intention to reevaluate relations with Saudi Arabia. Biden's nominee for the Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, also pledged to declassify the intelligence report on Khashoggi's murder and present the document to Congress.
In 2019, Congress had demanded that the National Intelligence leadership disclose the intelligence report on Khashoggi's murder and those who ordered it, but it refrained from doing so, insisting that the information should remain classified. Later, Congress approved a legal amendment requiring the Trump administration to provide a comprehensive report on those responsible for the crime, but Trump did not respond to this demand. Meanwhile, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Agnes Callamard, called for an investigation into the Saudi Crown Prince in connection with the case.
The United States imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis in connection to Khashoggi's murder, but many members of Congress accused former President Donald Trump's administration of seeking to "protect" Saudi Arabia from accountability. Former CIA Director John Brennan considered that former President Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and White House officials allowed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to commit the horrific crime against journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Brennan emphasized during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour in October of last year that the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia is important and should continue due to American strategic interests, energy, and other issues. He pointed out that as important as this relationship is, the United States must hold the Saudis and others accountable for any kind of human rights atrocities. He said, "Unfortunately, Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, and the White House granted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a pass on this horrific murder and the dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi."
Brennan clarified that such a crime could not occur without authorization from the highest authorities, asserting that King Salman would never act in such a manner, but his son the Crown Prince controls the security and intelligence apparatus. It is worth noting that journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who wrote articles for The Washington Post and had been residing in the United States since 2017, was known for his criticisms of the Saudi leadership. He was killed on October 2, 2018, inside his country's consulate in Istanbul by a Saudi assassination team, and his body has not yet been found.
On September 7, the Saudi Public Prosecutor issued prison sentences of 20 years for five defendants in connection with the case, and prison sentences ranging from 7 to 10 years for three others. This incident led to a sharp deterioration in relations between Ankara and Riyadh, while the Turkish government claims that Saudi authorities are seeking to cover up the true perpetrators of the crime, pointing to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
