Trump acknowledges Saudi prince may have been involved in murder plot

The Guardian news is reporting that President Trump has, for the first time, acknowledged that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) could have been involved in the ordering of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

This was from an interview with the Wall Street Journal, and it seems to mark a shift in Trump's view of what happened on October 2nd in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.  Previously, at least publicly, he had appeared to accept the royal denials of any prior knowledge or involvement, either on the part of the Saudi king or the crown prince.

As quoted from the WSJ, Trump said:  "Well, the prince is running things over there more so at this stage.  He's running things and so if anybody were going to be, it would be him."

So what has changed?   U.S. CIA Director Gina Haspel flew to Ankara, Turkey on Monday to assist in the investigation and to confer with Turkish officials.  As reported by Reuters, according to four individuals with knowledge, Haspel asked and has been allowed to play the audio and video evidence of the torture and murder of Khashoggi in possession of Turkish officials.

Also Turkey's President Erdogan has addressed his parliament on the issue on Tuesday;   and, although he did not mention the tapes, he told them that top Saudi officials carried out a "premeditated murder" in a "ferocious" manner.   He also said that he rejected the Saudi explanation of what happened.

President Trump described Erdogan's account as "pretty rough."    Trump's own expressed view has evolved from finding the Saudi royal denial as "credible," to provisional acceptance of the "rogue killer" theory, to now saying that it's possible -- despite the personal denial to him from the crown prince -- that he was involved.

And on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that the Saudi story was "one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups."

That latter remark is perhaps the most damning from Donald Trump -- because it represents a failure in a transactional fabrication.    He hasn't said anything quite so condemning about the assassination itself;   but to fail in your attempt at a cover-up story?   That's bad.

Since I always focus on what is so bad about Donald Trump, let me say something positive for a change:    at least, on this occasion, he has at least allowed his ideas to evolve with new evidence.   That's not something he is often willing to do.

Ralph