(CNN) International outcry over the grisly murder of a dissident journalist is not likely to alter US backing of domineering Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, officials familiar with the matter tell CNN.

There is little expectation among Trump administration aides that President Donald Trump and his team will step back from supporting Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto leader, despite a quiet acknowledgment among most officials that he had some knowledge of the plot to silence Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist who was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

In a sign the administration and its supporters are not backing off support for Mohammed, a group of evangelical leaders -- some closely associated with Trump -- met in Riyadh this week with the crown prince.

Instead of backing off Prince Mohammed, the US hopes to capitalize on what it regards as new leverage with Saudi Arabia to end the brutal civil war in Yemen and ease a regional standoff with Qatar, according to multiple US and diplomatic officials.

Seeing an opening created by the kingdom's new pariah status, US officials say the time is ripe to move on longstanding goals, including forcing an end to the Saudi-led bombing campaign that has prompted a humanitarian crisis in neighboring Yemen.

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