US president's nominee for Saudi ambassador defends bilateral ties as lawmakers criticise Muhammad bin Salman.
Retired general John Abizaid, US President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia, defended the US-Saudi relationship on Wednesday as lawmakers accused the kingdom of a litany of misdeeds and criticised its crown prince as going “full gangster.”
Despite increasing tension between the two countries, the United States has not had an ambassador to Saudi Arabia since Trump became president in January 2017. The Senate and House of Representatives have passed resolutions that would end US support for the Saudi-led coalition, an important rebuke of Riyadh. But Abizaid said the Trump administration believes strongly that US support should continue.
Eleven suspects have been indicted in Saudi Arabia for Khashoggi’s murder and Riyadh has denied the crown prince ordered the killing. Menendez did not mention by name Jared Kushner , the president’s son-in-law who has met with Saudi leaders, rankling some in Congress. But Menendez asked Abizaid if he would insist on being fully informed about all White House interactions with the Saudis. Abizaid said he would.
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