Trump Finds Khashoggi Murder 'Beyond' His Pay Grade
The NYT video shows Trump conveniently deflecting a question regarding MBS's role in the 2018 assassination of Khashoggi, a US resident and Washington Post columnist. This isn't just a 'brush-off'; it's a predictable performance from a long line of American presidents who prioritize strategic alliances—and the lucrative arms deals they enable—over human rights. For context, the US sold over $60
billion in arms to Saudi Arabia during the Trump administration, despite mounting evidence of Saudi war crimes in Yemen. MBS was personally implicated by US intelligence, yet the Saudi relationship, particularly with shared hostility toward Iran, remained 'ironclad'. One might wonder what a US resident would have to do to elicit consistent outrage from the White House, short of having a direct
impact on oil prices or defense contractor dividends. The brutal dismemberment of a journalist? Apparently, that’s just 'not presidential' to discuss when there’s money to be made. How many 'allies' get a pass for such atrocities before we question the definition of 'ally'?