Today, President Biden met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who U.S. intelligence officials say ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In remarks after the meeting, Biden said he raised the killing with Mohammed and was “straightforward and direct” with the crown prince. The president said the murder was a “clear violation of human rights” and “totally inconsistent with who we are [as a country].”
“What happened to Khashoggi was outrageous,” Biden said. The president said the crown prince told him that he was not personally responsible for the murder. The president said he indicated to the crown prince that he thought he was responsible. U.S. intelligence officials have determined that the crown prince ordered Khashoggi’s killing by Saudi agents, though he has denied any responsibility.
Before the meeting, all eyes were on the leaders’ hands as Biden gave the country’s de facto leader a fist bump as he arrived.
In Washington, the Democratic-led House voted to write the protections of Roe v. Wade into law after it was overturned by the Supreme Court. A second bill was also passed Friday that would prohibit punishment for traveling to another state to get an abortion. The two bills face long odds in the evenly divided Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most legislation.
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On our radar: Biden continues Middle East trip
President Biden was in Saudi Arabia on Friday, where he met with the kingdom’s leaders, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The meeting with the prince drew criticisms since it was first announced, and on Friday the president drew international attention after he greeted him with a fist-bump. The president will continue his Middle East tour this weekend. Here’s what we’re watching:
- Biden on Saturday will meet with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi of Iraq, and later with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi. Later, the president will meet with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates. Afterward, the president will attend a welcome reception for a summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan. Biden will fly back to Washington after the summit.
- First lady Jill Biden will attend a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Massachusetts on Saturday night.
- Trump will no longer speak at a rally in Arizona. The rally was rescheduled in the wake of news of the death of his first wife, Ivana Trump.
