Trump, MBS had "shocking" phone call after Khashoggi murder, Vindman warns

• Vindman and 37 other lawmakers sent a letter to Trump Thursday calling for the transcript's release.
• The document remains classified, preventing Vindman from disclosing its contents, though he suggested Trump reaped benefits from MBS.

What he's saying: Vindman described the call as one of the most "concerning" he reviewed during Trump's first term as a member of the National Security Council.

• During a Friday press conference, Vindman likened it to the president's 2019 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which led to Trump's first impeachment.
• "When the president sidelines his own intelligence community to shield a foreign leader, America's credibility is at stake," Vindman said.
• "I'm honored to have Ms. Khashoggi with me today, standing by my side, as we remember her husband and call for transparency and accountability," Vindman said. "We'll continue pressing for the release of the transcript so the American people understand the truth."

The other side: "Vindman is a bitter back-bencher who nobody takes seriously," White House spokesperson Steven Cheung told Axios. "He is a serial liar and was part of the hoax relating to the perfect Ukraine call, in which the Ukrainian president said so himself."

Catch up quick: Trump formally designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally earlier this week, after MBS pledged to increase Riyadh's investments in the U.S. from $600 billion to $1 trillion.

• The president revealed Monday he would sell F-35s to the Saudi Arabia, making it the first Middle Eastern country besides Israel to receive the advanced fighter jets.
• The kingdom also committed to purchasing around 300 U.S. tanks as part of its expanding military cooperation with the White House.