Biden says he brought up murder of Khashoggi in meeting with Saudi leaders

US President Joe Biden says he brought up the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during meetings with the kingdom’s top officials today.

“I raised it at the top of the meeting, and made clear what I thought of it at the time and what I think of it now,” Biden says, regarding the murder.

“I was straightforward and direct about discussing it and I made my view crystal clear. I said very straightforwardly, for an American president to be silent on an issue of human rights, is inconsistent with who we are and who I am,” he says.

After taking office last year, Biden’s administration released US intelligence findings that the Saudi crown prince “approved” an operation targeting Khashoggi, whose gruesome killing in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate sparked global outrage.

Saudi officials deny the prince’s involvement and claim Khashoggi’s death resulted from a “rogue” operation.