NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Joe Biden touched down in Washington Just after midnight on Sunday, when he said the Saudi foreign minister was wrong to deny ever hearing that Biden had confronted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
After spending several days in the Middle East, Biden landed outside the White House and answered several questions from reporters, including one about a recent controversial statement. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
“The foreign minister of Saudi Arabia said he did not hear you accuse the crown prince of Khashoggi’s murder. Is he right?” the reporter asked.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 16: President Joe Biden takes questions from reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on July 16, 2022 in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
“No,” Biden said, before brushing off another reporter who asked about the fist-pumping fiasco. “Why aren’t you talking about something important?” the president added.
BIDEN OFFERS MORE FREEDOM IN MIDDLE EAST, SAYS CRITICISING LEADERS ‘NOT FUN’
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Biden told reporters that he told MBS that he believed the Saudi leader was responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
SEAN HANNITY: IT’S ANOTHER HARD WEEK FOR BIDEN AS PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES ABROAD
It was Khashoggi Washington Post Contributor He was killed by Saudi security officials in 2018. There is doubt about the participation or approval of the country’s leadership, including MBS.
“Regarding the murder of Khashoggi, I brought it up at the top of the meeting and I made clear what I thought about it then and what I think about it now,” Biden said at a press conference on Friday.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 16: President Joe Biden leaves Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on July 16, 2022 in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Biden said MBS heard him and responded during the meeting.
“Hey [MBS] mainly said that he is not personally responsible for it. I showed that he said that he was not personally responsible and that he was taking action against those who were responsible,” the president added.
Biden said the world leaders then “discussed further that any opposition to criticism of the Saudi administration in other countries is viewed as a violation of human rights by me.”
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 16: President Joe Biden leaves Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on July 16, 2022 in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The next day, when Biden left Saudi Arabia, he became the Secretary of State Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir told Fox News that Alex Hogan Biden never touched on Khashoggi’s murder during the visit.
“I have not heard that particular expression,” said al-Jubeir. “The president noted that the United States is committed to human rights since the founding fathers wrote the constitution, and as he noted that American presidents, it has been part of the agenda of every American president.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Speaking to reporters Sunday morning, Biden also said he is “hopeful” that inflation will come down soon and that his administration is “working” to prevent the incarceration of people who use marijuana.
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
