U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey during a bill signing ceremony at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 23, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the subsequent cover-up by Saudi Arabia was “a total fiasco.”

“There should have never been an execution or a cover-up, because it should have never happened,” Trump told reporters.

“I would say it was a total fiasco from day one,” he added.