Nick Schifrin:

The Saudis experts I speak to say what is not credible is the idea that 15 people would leave Saudi Arabia in two jets from Riyadh, fly to Istanbul, be associated or be around the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul without Mohammed bin Salman's knowledge.

And so what the statement will say, according to the CNN report, is that Mohammed bin Salman might have been aware of the rendition, but wasn't responsible for the murder. That's the distinction, it seems, this statement is going to make.

The problem with that is that there's been already a lot of questions about Mohammed bin Salman. You talk to experts, and this is what they say. There's questions about the military operation in Yemen, diplomatic initiatives with Qatar, Lebanon and questions about human rights.

And so what these experts are saying now is that, even if there's an attempt to have some kind of face-saving solution to this crisis, Mohammed bin Salman's reputation as a reformer, that might have been hit. And that leads to the question, could Mohammed bin Salman lose his job as crown prince?

King Salman has replaced two crown princes in the past. Most experts say that probably won't happen. But some of his responsibilities may be taken away.