WASHINGTON _ The Trump administration has "its eyes wide open" about what happened to a dead Washington Post columnist who was killed inside a Saudi diplomatic facility in Turkey, White House adviser Jared Kushner said Monday.
President Donald Trump's son-in-law also said he personally told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to "just to be transparent" about allegations his government ordered Saudi-born and self-exiled journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed inside that Istanbul consulate.
Kushner told a CNN-sponsored forum he advised Salman to take the allegations and Khashoggi's disappearance and death "very seriously."
Republican and Democratic lawmakers continue pressing Trump and his administration to punish MBS and Saudi Arabia via sanctions or other moves for luring the columnist, who had criticized the crown prince to Turkey and then allegedly killing and dismembering his body.
The crown prince's government issued a statement late last week confirming Khashoggi died inside the facility but contending his death was caused by a fistfight that started after an argument. Trump continues to give MBS cover, saying he has yet to be convinced the crown prince ordered the columnist to be killed.
Trump, Kushner and other administration officials say it is important for Washington to maintain relations with Saudi Arabia, especially as it seeks to squeeze Iran and salvage a stalled Middle East peace process.
