US president ignores media questions about murder of Jamal Khashoggi in meeting with Saudi crown prince at G20

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Donald Trump has praised Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying he was doing a “spectacular job” as the pair met on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

“You have done a spectacular job,” Trump told the powerful crown prince on Saturday, calling him “a friend of mine”.

The young royal has faced international pressure after the US-based dissident Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul last year.

MSNBC (@MSNBC) JUST IN: President Trump meets with Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman at G-20 in Japan, calls him "a friend of mine" and says that he's done "really a spectacular job" and that it's a "great honor" to meet with him. pic.twitter.com/cKvZ8qWFQc

But Trump ignored questions from the media about whether he would raise the journalist’s death during his working breakfast with the prince.

Riyadh has hit back against claims that prince Mohammed bears responsibility in the murder of Khashoggi, who was killed and dismembered in what Saudi authorities have described as a rogue operation.

A UN expert report has said that the “execution of Mr Khashoggi was the responsibility of the state of Saudi Arabia”, and that the crown prince must have been aware of attempts to cover up the crime after the fact, including a forensic cleaning of the consulate.

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The report urged a formal criminal investigation into the case.

But Saudi prosecutors say all those to blame are already on trial, citing proceedings against 11 unnamed individuals in the kingdom.

Five of those face the death penalty in the trial, which has been held secretly, with only a handful of diplomats allowed to attend.

Trump also said he appreciated Saudi Arabia’s purchase of US military equipment, praising the crown prince for working to open up the country with economic reforms.

Trump praised the crown prince, who has moved to loosen some social restrictions in the kingdom but also cracked down on activists, including women pressing for the right to drive.

“It’s an honour to be with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia ... a man who has really done things in the last five years in terms of opening up Saudi Arabia,” Trump said.

“It’s like a revolution in a very positive way.”