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Khashoggi case: Trump opposes halting Saudi arms deal, cites impact on jobs

Saudi Arabia's Attorney General on Saturday confirmed that preliminary investigations pointed towards the death of Jamal Khashoggi's death after he entered Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey

Trump

Donald Trump holds a news conference on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, US | Photo: Reuters

ANI Carson City

Amid the chaos surrounding Saudi Arabia's admission of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, United States President Donald Trump has warned against halting the Riyadh arms deal.

Trump, while talking to journalists in Nevada, stated that suspension of the deal with Saudi Arabia would affect American jobs.

"We have $450 billion, $110 billion of which is a military order, but this is equipment and various things ordered from Saudi Arabia. It's over a million jobs; that's not helpful for us to cancel an order like that. That hurts us far more than it hurts them," CNN quoted Trump, as saying.

 

He, however, pointed out that the imposition of sanctions was being mulled over for Riyadh. "But there are other things that could be done, including sanctions," he added.

When asked about the Saudi official who was fired in connection with Khashoggi's killing, Trump asserted that he is not satisfied as there are questions that still need to be answered.

After days of denial, Saudi Arabia's Attorney General on Saturday confirmed that preliminary investigations pointed towards the death of Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

The prosecutor added that his death was caused by a physical altercation which ensued in the consulate.

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First Published: Oct 21 2018 | 5:45 AM IST

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