“The problem that has happened with the Khashoggi incident is the same problem with the West misunderstanding the east that has existed since Sykes-Picot," he said, referring to a post-World War I agreement between Western nations divvying up spheres on influence in the Middle East.

Barrack added that “the corrupt hand of the West has been the primary instigator in the kingdom."

Khashoggi, a Virginia resident who was a contributing columnist at The Washington Post, was killed in October after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. U.S. and international intelligence officials have indicated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely played a role in the killing.

Saudi Arabia foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir has said that the death was the result of "officials of the Saudi government acting outside their scope of authority."

Barrack chaired Trump's inaugural committee fund, which raised nearly $107 million in the lead-up to his 2017 presidential inauguration. Federal prosecutors have been investigating if illegal donors channeled money into the fund.

“Tom has never talked with any foreign individual or entity for the purposes of raising money for or obtaining donations related to either the campaign, the inauguration or any such political activity,” Owen Blicksilver, a spokesman for Barrack, told The New York Times Times in December.

Rep. Ted Lieu Ted W. LieuThe spin on Woodward's tapes reveals the hypocrisy of Democrats Larry Kudlow defends response to coronavirus: Trump 'led wisely' Lieu on Trump 'playing it down' on coronavirus: 'This is reckless homicide' MORE (D-Calif.) on Tuesday asked why Trump associated people such as Barrack in light of his recent comments.