President Donald Trump offered sharper criticism of Saudi Arabia's explanation of the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saying "obviously there's been deception, and there's been lies."

In an interview with The Washington Post late Saturday, Trump continued to defend the nation as an "incredible ally" and allowed for the possibility that Khashoggi's death was not directly ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"Nobody has told me he's responsible. Nobody has told me he's not responsible. We haven't reached that point," he said, adding, "I would love if he wasn't responsible."

The remarks were harsher than Trump's previous comments following the explanation.

"It's early — we haven't finished our review or investigation — but it's, I think, a very important first step, and it happened sooner than people thought it would happen," the president said Friday.

A Trump ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Fox News that he didn't think the Saudis' explanation was "credible at all."

"It's ridiculous to believe 18 people would go to Turkey to kill Mr. Khashoggi and nobody in the government know about it," he said.

Saudi Arabia's explanation Friday — that Khashoggi's death at its Istanbul consulate was a result of a "quarrel and fighting by hand" — drew international criticism and doubts about the crown prince's involvement. Saudi Arabia also said 18 of its citizens were arrested as a result of its government's investigation into what happened to Khashoggi after he disappeared on Oct. 2 after visiting the consulate.

It was the first time Saudi Arabia had acknowledged that Khashoggi died in the consulate after a series of denials and shifting explanations in the 17 days since he disappeared. The official Saudi Press Association reported Sunday that Crown Prince Mohammed called Kashoggi's eldest son, Salah Khashoggi, to express his condolences.

Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi speaks on his cellphone at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2011. Virginia Mayo / AP

Below is a timeline of Saudi Arabia's responses to Khashoggi's disappearance: