President Trump told reporters Thursday that “it certainly looks” like journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead, calling it “very sad.”
Why it matters: Despite acknowledging that Khashoggi is likely dead, and a flood of reporting that suggests Khashoggi was gruesomely murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Trump has been hesitant to place blame on the Saudis. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who recently went to Saudi Arabia to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has advised the president that the U.S. wait "a few more days" before getting involved.