President Biden
Joe BidenHoyer: House to vote on COVID-19 relief bill Friday Pence meets with senior members of Republican Studies Committee Powell pushes back GOP inflation fears MORE said on Wednesday that it has read the report on the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
“Yes, yes,” Biden told reporters in the state dining hall after signing an executive order on the economy, without delving into it.
The Biden administration is expected to release an unclassified version of the Khashoggi death report soon. Biden also said he would speak with King Salman of Saudi Arabia, but offered no chronology or confirmed reports that the call would be made on Wednesday.
“I’m going to talk to him, I haven’t talked to him yet,” Biden said.
The release of the report is likely to complicate the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to approve the 2018 assassination of Khashoggi, who was a journalist for The Washington Post.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) will release the report, which Reuters reported would happen on Thursday.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiHillicon Valley: Companies Urge Action to Hear SolarWinds | Facebook lifts Australian news ban Biden will take action against Russia in overnight health care “weeks”: COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers promise massive increase in supply | Biden ‘s health candidate faces first Senate test The White House defends the reopening of facilities for migrant children Ocasio-Cortez criticizes the opening of facilities for migrants for minors in Biden MORE He told reporters Wednesday before Biden would speak with King Salman “soon,” but offered no specific timeline.
Director of National Intelligence April Haines
April HainesSenate confirms Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture, Schumer, prepares confirmation in Senate Night Defense: NATO expands troops in Iraq MORE he promised during his confirmation hearing to publish the report on Khashoggi’s assassination. Congress reported on the classified version of the report in 2018, but the Trump administration resisted calls to release an unclassified version, even after Congress passed legislation requiring the community to intelligence to publish an unclassified version of the report.
Reuters reported Thursday that the declassified report concludes that the Crown Prince approved and probably ordered Khashoggi’s assassination. The Post reported in 2018 that the CIA concluded that the Crown Prince ordered the assassination of Khashoggi. Khashoggi had been critical of the Saudi government in its columns.
Biden is expected to diverge from the friendly relationship he had before President Trump
Donald TrumpRomney: “Pretty sure,” Trump would win the 2024 GOP nomination if he ran for president, Pence will meet with senior members of the Republican Studies Committee. Trump says “definitely” Tiger Woods will be back after a MORE accident and his administration had with the Saudi government. Psaki said earlier this month that Biden would “recalibrate” relations with the Saudis, including talking to King Salman instead of his son, the Crown Prince.