National

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

The U.S. and Germany separately announced on Wednesday they would send battle tanks to Ukraine after pressure from NATO allies and Ukraine to supply the advanced armored vehicles as Kyiv prepares for a possible new Russian offensive.

Why it matters: The U.S. decision to supply Abrams M1 tanks and the German announcement on the Leopard 2 tanks is a major boost for Ukraine, which has pleaded with the West for months to send more advanced weaponry as it tries to take back territory from Russia.

Details: The U.S. will send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine and will begin training Ukrainian troops on sustaining the tanks as soon as possible, Biden said at a press conference Wednesday.

Biden cautioned that delivering the tanks would "take time."

Biden said that prior to the announcement he had spoken to the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. “to continue our close coordination and full support of Ukraine."

During a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby called the Abrams tanks "the most capable, powerful tank in the world" and said it would help Ukraine "fight effectively on open terrain."

Kirby noted that no date has been set for the Abrams' delivery but that it would likely be "many months before they're actually there."

Germany will initially supply 14 Leopard 2 tanks from its own stock, as well as ammunition and logistical and maintenance support, its government said in a statement.  

Training Ukrainian forces on the Leopards is expected to begin soon. 

Germany will also quickly provide licenses to other European countries that wish to supply Leopards from their own stock, the statement added. Poland has already requested approval to send some of its Leopards to Ukraine. 

The goal, the German government said, was for Germany and its allies to supply two battalions with Leopards, which would be 88 tanks, per AP. 

Catch up quick: Debate among Western allies — particularly between the U.S. and Germany — over sending tanks to Ukraine had escalated over the last week. 

The Biden administration argued in recent days against sending Abrams, citing logistical issues. Instead, U.S. officials said sending German Leopard 2 tanks would be more beneficial since many European allies already have them and they're easier to maintain. 

"The M1 (Abrams) is a complex weapons system that is challenging to maintain ... that was true yesterday, that is true today and will be true in the future," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters on Tuesday. 

Until Wednesday, Scholz had expressed reluctance to send Leopards, fearing it could escalate tensions with Moscow. German officials also reportedly privately linked its own commitment to providing its tanks to a U.S. decision to send Abrams as well. Publicly, however, U.S. and German officials denied any link between the two decisions. 

"Germany didn't force me to change my mind," Biden said Wednesday, adding that the countries were waiting to act together. 

What they're saying: "Today's announcement builds on the hard work and commitment from countries around the world, led by the United States of America, to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Biden said Wednesday.

"That's what this is about. Helping Ukraine defend and protect Ukrainian land. It is not an offensive threat to Russia. There is no offensive threat to Russia," he added.

"Germany has really stepped up," Biden said, praising Scholz as a "strong voice for unity."

 "Putin expected Europe and the United States to weaken our resolve. He expected our support for Ukraine to crumble with time. He was wrong," Biden said.

"This decision follows our well-known line of supporting Ukraine to the best of our ability. We are acting in a closely coordinated manner internationally," Scholz said in a statement.

The German government added that Wednesday's decision was "the result of intensive consultations with Germany's closest European and international partners."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his thanks for the U.S.' decision to send Abrams tanks in a tweet Wednesday, writing that it was "an important step on the path to victory."

Earlier Wednesday, Zelensky tweeted that he was "sincerely grateful" for Germany's decision to send the Leopards.

The Kremlin called the German announcement and expected U.S. decision to send battle tanks “a rather disastrous plan," according to state media. 

“The main thing is, this is a completely obvious overestimation of the potential [the tanks] would add to the armed forces of Ukraine. It is yet another fallacy, a rather profound one,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.

U.S. and Germany to send battle tanks to Ukraine

The decision is a major boost for Ukraine.

A U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams battle tank . Photo: Mateusz Slodkowski/AFP via Getty Images

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Ukraine

Russia

RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan last week was bleak and didn't make much progress, Palestinian officials told Axios. 

Why it matters: The meeting's tenor reflects the current low point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The U.S. has expressed concern over the Israeli government's policies in the occupied West Bank, and Palestinians have warned the situation is only set to get worse. 

"We conveyed to Sullivan the message that the practices of the Israeli government will become more dangerous to the point that the Palestinian leadership and people will not be able to bear them, and therefore won’t remain silent," a senior Palestinian official told Axios.

State of play: Tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority have been intensifying for months, but they escalated even further earlier in January when the new Israeli government sanctioned the PA over its latest push for the International Court of Justice to issue a legal opinion on the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

The PA is concerned additional Israeli sanctions could make it difficult to pay its employees' salaries. 

"Without a doubt, the escalating financial pressures [by Israel] would undermine the Palestinian Authority and its ability to function," a senior Palestinian official warned.

At the same time, the situation in the West Bank has continued to deteriorate. 

Tensions have remained high in several West Bank cities, where the Israeli military has conducted nearly nightly raids. 

 The Israeli military killed about 150 Palestinians last year. Israel says most of those who were killed were militants, though Palestinians and human rights groups say the figure includes several children and people not involved in the unrest. Israel stepped up its operations in the West Bank following several attacks against Israeli civilians by Palestinians last year. More than two dozen people in Israel and the West Bank died in the attacks.

What they're saying: The PA will continue to raise the issue of the "political horizon" or the diplomatic process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Palestinian officials say. 

The Biden administration has previously stressed that such a process is unrealistic right now, given regional tensions and how wide the gap is between the two sides. Still, the White House said in a statement that during last week's visit Sullivan and Palestinian leaders "exchanged views on measures to build trust, enhance security, and foster conditions for a political horizon."

The PA told Sullivan it will use all political and diplomatic means — in the UN and international courts — to defend itself, according to the senior Palestinian official. 

"This includes reconsidering the Palestinian-Israeli relations on the basis that the extremist Israeli government is no longer a partner in peace, but rather a colonial power that practices ethnic cleansing and apartheid, and its plans and practices must be exposed and its unilateral acts of aggression must be stopped," the Palestinian official said.

Israel has previously said allegations of apartheid are baseless and denied accusations that it persecutes the Palestinians.

The PA also plans to continue its efforts to gain full membership at the UN — a push U.S. officials have warned will only make the situation worse. 

For his part, Sullivan also reaffirmed "the U.S. administration’s interest in strengthening engagement with the Palestinian Authority," the White House said.

They also discussed "U.S. support for peace, preserving the path towards negotiations for two states, and advancing equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians," the White House readout added. 

What to watch: Many fear tensions in the region will only continue to escalate, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, which begins in March. 

Palestinian officials say the Abbas-Sullivan meeting was bleak

The meeting's tenor reflects the current low point in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Sullivan meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Jan. 19. Photo: Handout/Palestinian Presidency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israel

Tel Aviv

Axios from Tel Aviv

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan made it clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Thursday that the Biden administration is concerned about his judicial overhaul plan and the effect it might have on Israel’s democratic institutions, three senior U.S. and Israeli officials with knowledge of the meeting told Axios.

The big picture: When Sullivan prepared for his trip to Jerusalem, the new Israeli government’s judicial plan wasn’t at the top of his priorities for the meeting and many inside the administration didn’t think the U.S. should weigh in on it.

But as the internal debate in Israel escalated, the White House realized that there was a need to make clear where it stood on the plan, U.S. officials said.

Driving the news: Shortly before Sullivan landed in Israel last week, the Israeli Supreme Court revoked the appointment of Netanyahu's senior minister Aryeh Deri.

The government used the ruling to escalate its rhetoric against the Supreme Court and to stress that it backs up its grievances about the judicial system.

A senior U.S. official said the effects of the ruling was the central point on the Israeli domestic situation Herzog made during his meeting with Sullivan Wednesday evening.

During Sullivan and Netanyahu's meeting a day later, it was the prime minister who first raised his judicial plan and tried to explain it, the U.S. and Israeli officials said. 

A U.S. official said Sullivan didn’t express his opinion about the details of the plan but gave a more general message about how it could affect the two countries' shared democratic values.

“Sullivan expressed to Netanyahu the importance of democratic institutions, separation of powers and rule of law, and the attributes that make democracies, like Israel's, uniquely thrive, and that we share," a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the conversation told Axios.

Israeli officials said one of the concerns raised by Sullivan was that even if this is not Netanyahu’s intention, pushing such a significant plan forward without dialogue and only through a parliamentary majority could look undemocratic.

Yaron Avraham of Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu told Sullivan he wants to pass the plan through a wide consensus in the Knesset and that its final version won’t look as it looks today. 

Between the lines: The State Department from the onset took a slightly different approach than the White House in talking about the plan. 

Publicly, the State Department stressed the importance of Israel’s independent democratic institutions. Privately, Secretary of State Tony Blinken and his deputy, Wendy Sherman, expressed their concern about the plan to Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and asked for clarifications, sources briefed on the meeting told Axios.

What to watch: Blinken is expected to arrive in the region over the weekend for a visit that will include stops in Egypt, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Jordan. This will be Blinken's first visit to Israel since the new Netanyahu government assumed office.

During his visit to Israel, Blinken is expected to continue the discussion with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials about the judicial plan. 

“It created a debate within Israeli society & showed it's a vibrant democracy. Blinken would want to hear the view of people inside & outside the government,"  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near East affairs Barbara Leaf said in a briefing with reporters ahead of Blinken’s trip to the region.

Inside the Sullivan-Netanyahu meeting

Sullivan made it clear to Netanyahu that the Biden administration is concerned about his judicial overhaul plan.

White House national security adivser Jake Sullivan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in Jerusalem on Jan. 19. 

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Netanyahu meet in Jerusalem on Jan. 19. Photo: Handout/Israeli Government Press Office (GPO)/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Benjamin Netanyahu

Mass protests. International condemnation. The sacking of a trusted minister. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first month in office has been nothing short of chaotic.

Why it matters: Even before Netanyahu was sworn in, the Biden administration had expressed concern over what the most right-wing government in Israel's history would mean for the Palestinians and U.S.-Israel relations.

U.S. concerns have only intensified with Netanyahu's plan to overhaul his country's judicial system and the actions of some of his ministers. 

In many ways, the political atmosphere in Israel bears similarities to the chaotic first few weeks of the Trump administration, when the U.S. government announced new controversial policies that angered the public. 

An unprecedented battle with the Supreme Court: 

Netanyahu's government rolled out its plan for the judicial overhaul much sooner and much faster than many expected.

The trigger was the expected Supreme Court ruling on whether Aryeh Deri, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, could serve as a minister due to his past criminal convictions. That ruling came last week, with 10 of the high court's 11 judges voting to revoke Deri's appointment, forcing Netanyahu to fire one of the most experienced ministers in his government. 

The government used the Supreme Court’s decision as a pretext for escalating its attacks against the judicial system and accelerating the efforts to push forward with its plan.

“People use the immense power they were given in order to replace the will of the people — this will turn against them," Justice Minister Yariv Levin said at an event Monday night held by Netanyahu and his senior ministers in the Knesset to express solidarity with Deri. 

The judicial overhaul plan has angered the Israeli public. More than 130,000 people across Israel rallied against Netanyahu's government last weekend. The protests are expected to continue. 

The Israeli tech sector, which is the backbone of the Israeli economy, has joined the protests. Several hundred tech companies went on a symbolic strike on Tuesday. Tech workers, who demonstrated in Tel Aviv, blocked one of the main roads for a few minutes.

Many in the business and financial sectors have also joined the protests and expressed concerns that the weakening of the democratic system will harm the Israeli economy.

One of the leading economists in the country resigned from the central bank monetary committee in order to join the protest and criticize the government freely.

Meanwhile, the head of Israel's central bank met Netanyahu on Tuesday and reportedly expressed concerns about the effect of the judicial plan on the country's credit rating. He told Netanyahu that he received worried messages about it during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, last week, according to Israeli media.

Netanyahu's government hadn't even been in power a week when it faced international condemnation over ultranationalist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount, also known as the Haram al-Sharif or the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The visit raised already high tensions, and the relationship between the new Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank appears to be on a collision course.

The big picture: The chaos surrounding Netanyahu's government is happening while the prime minister is standing trial for bribery, breach of trust and fraud. He denies any wrongdoing. 

The Israeli opposition argues that Netanyahu is pushing the new plan as part of his effort to stop the trial.

What to watch: Israeli President Isaac Herzog is trying to facilitate talks between the government, the opposition and the president of the Supreme Court to reach an agreed-upon plan for judicial reform. For now, Herzog has made little progress.

"The lack of a dialogue is tearing us apart from within. This powder keg is about to explode. It is a time of emergency and the responsibility is on all of us," Herzog said on Tuesday. 

What’s next: The government’s goal is to pass the first phase of the judicial plan legislation in a first hearing by April.

Many in the coalition and the opposition think that only then meaningful talks on a compromise formula can start.

Netanyahu's chaotic first month

Mass protests. International condemnation. The sacking of one of his most trusted ministers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Biden administration asked Israel for the old Hawk anti-aircraft missiles it has in storage in order to transfer them to Ukraine, three Israeli and U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Israel has so far rejected most U.S. and Ukrainian requests to provide advanced and defensive weaponry to Ukraine over concerns that such a move could create tensions with Russia and harm Israeli security interests in Syria. 

Ukraine has repeatedly asked Western countries for such weapons to help it defend itself against Russian strikes. 

Between the lines: Russia holds enormous influence in Syria but allows Israel to operate freely against Iranian activity there.

Flashback: Israel purchased the Hawk system from the U.S. in the 1960s to defend itself against Egyptian and Syrian airstrikes. 

At the time, the Raytheon-developed anti-aircraft system was cutting-edge technology. But in more recent years, Israel has turned to other systems, including the U.S. Patriot battery and its own Iron Dome and Arrow defensive systems. 

A decade ago, the Israeli military took the Hawk system out of service. A senior Israeli official told Axios that about 10 Hawk batteries and hundreds of interceptors remain in storage in Israel. 

Behind the scenes: Senior Israeli and U.S. officials said the Pentagon reached out to the Israeli Defense Ministry two weeks ago and requested the Hawk systems that are in storage in order to transfer them to Ukraine. 

A U.S. official said similar requests were made to several other countries that had the system in active service or in storage. 

The senior Israeli official said an Israeli Defense Ministry official told their U.S. counterparts there is no change in Israel’s policy not to provide weapons systems to Ukraine. 

According to the Israeli official, the Defense Ministry official said Israel's Hawk systems are “obsolete” and can’t function because of how long they've been in storage without maintenance. 

But the Israeli officials say that the response wasn't accurate. They stressed that while the launchers might be completely dysfunctional, the hundreds of Hawk interceptors Israel has in storage can be refurbished and used.

The Israeli Defense Ministry reiterated to Axios in a statement that the "position of the Israel security establishment [on giving military aid to Ukraine] hasn’t changed. Every request is being reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”

What they're saying: Earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gave a speech at an AIPAC leadership conference in Washington in which he hinted at the U.S. request to Israel for the Hawk missiles. But his remarks went almost completely unnoticed. 

In the speech, Austin mentioned how the Hawk systems helped Israel defend itself in the 1967 Six-Day War and 1973 Yom Kippur War, also known as the October War.

"Now, the Hawks are no longer state-of-the-art technology. But they can still help a besieged democracy defend itself," Austin said.

He added that the U.S. is working with its allies and partners to provide the Hawk capability to Ukraine.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that an Israeli Defense Ministry official answered the Pentagon's request for the Hawk anti-aircraft missiles, but the official was not Dror Shalom as previously stated.

Scoop: U.S. asked Israel for its Hawk missiles to send to Ukraine

Israel told the U.S. there is no change in Israel’s policy not to provide weapons systems to Ukraine.

Israeli soliders stand next to a HAWK system near Jericho in 1993. Photo: Esaias Baitel/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Israeli officials stand next to a Hawk system in Jericho in 1993. Photo: Esaias Baitel/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Sneak Peek

Axios Sneak Peek

GAUTENG, South Africa — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced a new joint U.S. – South African task force on wildlife trafficking to "follow the money" from poaching and then work to seize proceeds from any illegal sales.

Why it matters: Yellen used the announcement to emphasize the central theme of her 10-day trip: working closely with American institutions is the best way for African countries to grow their economies and improve living standards. 

The illegal killing of rare African species threatens the species' existence and disrupts their ecosystems. 

Protecting the local wildlife is a priority for African governments, their tourism industry and international conservationists.

Driving the news: On a wildlife tour on the Dinokeng Game Reserve, a 21,000 hectare park, Yellen saw some of the animals — like the white rhinoceros — the new task force is designed to protect. 

“To help save wildlife populations from further poaching and disrupt the associated illicit trade, we must follow the money in the same way we do with other serious crimes,” she said.  

“Seeing so many different animal species in their natural setting reminds us why it is so important to work together to protect wildlife,” she said. 

The big picture: Yellen’s tour of the wildlife preserve, where she also saw a male and female lion lying in the shade, marked the start of her visit to South Africa, the final stop on her 10-day tour.

Yellen: African farmers can fight climate change and feed the world

Yellen's message in Africa: We're here to stay

Yellen on poaching in Africa: Follow the money

The task force will "follow the money" from poaching and then work to seize proceeds from any illegal sales.

Janet Yellen looks into the camera in Africa with a chicken in the background

Secretary Yellen prepares to speak to viliagers in Chongwe, Zambia on Jan. 24, 2023. Photo: Hans Nichols/Axios

Janet Yellen

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Pope Francis in an interview with AP published Wednesday called laws that criminalize homosexuality "unjust."

Why it matters: The pope's remarks  build on his earlier expressions of support for the LGBTQ community, which has traditionally been marginalized by the church.

What he's saying: "Being homosexual is not a crime ... but it's a sin," the pope told AP. 

"Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime. It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another."

The big picture: While the pope hasn't distanced himself from Catholic teachings that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered," he has in recent years displayed outreach to LGBTQ people — notably when he expressed support for the first time for same-sex civil unions during a 2020 documentary.

Francis last year called on parents not to condemn their children if they're gay and a Jesuit priest who ministers to LGBTQ Catholics shared a letter from the pope in June 2021 praising his work.

Yes, but: In March of that year, the Vatican in a decree approved by the pope said Catholic priests cannot bless such unions because God "does not and cannot bless sin."

Go deeper: Pope Francis says homosexuality in the clergy "worries" him 

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.

Pope Francis calls laws criminalizing homosexuality "unjust"

"Being homosexual is not a crime ... but it's a sin," the pope told AP in an interview published today.

Pope Francis delivers his Angelus blessing from the window of his private studio to pilgrims in Saint Peter's Square on January 06, 2023 in Vatican City, Vatican. 

Pope Francis delivers a blessing from his private studio to pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City, Vatican, on Jan. 6. Photo:  Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

Pope Francis

Anti-government protests in Peru are entering their second month, with growing concern among human rights groups and political observers that the deadly police crackdown on demonstrators is leading to democratic backsliding in the country.  

State of play: About 60 people have died and more than 700 have been injured in the past month as protests have spread from rural areas to all over the nation.

The situation led authorities on Saturday to close Machu Picchu, stranding tourists in one of the most visited places in the world, and cutting off a major source of revenue for the country.

This weekend, police entered the largest public university to disperse protesters and detain students, who police said had illegally entered the building. The National University of San Marcos denounced it as an abuse of authority.

Catch up quick: The protests started in early December after former President Pedro Castillo was ousted and arrested for attempting to dissolve Congress during an impeachment vote. 

Dina Boluarte, who was vice president, replaced him — but Castillo's supporters want her to resign, accusing her of plotting with Congress, which they also want to dissolve and make way for immediate elections.  

Boluarte has said "if we have made mistakes in trying to achieve peace and calm then I apologize," and that she won't resign "in response to a minuscule group making the country bleed."

Boluarte has also claimed that the munitions linked to the deaths haven't come from police or armed forces.

What they're saying: The government's refusal to pull back police forces is indicative of a "dangerous transition towards authoritarianism," dozens of Peruvian political scientists and academics wrote in a letter published yesterday in several Peruvian newspapers.

That makes any dialogue unlikely, political scientist Paula Távara Pineda, of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, tells Axios Latino. 

"If there's no real action from the government ... I do fear we'll be stuck with no way to move on from this conflict, and that uncertainty about what comes next will only grow," she adds.

The protests have also grown to include those angry over the police crackdown, not just Castillo's supporters, Távara Pineda says.

Many of those killed during the protests are between 15 and 30 years old, according to the country's human rights ombudsman office. 

Many died from projectile or bullet-like wounds to the head and chest, according to a review of autopsy reports by the health news platform Salud con Lupa.

Edgar Stuardo Ralón Orellana, envoy to Peru from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, said last week there should be prompt investigations into potential excessive use of force by the government.

Police have not responded to any accusations of excessive use of force.

The big picture: What's happening in Peru is indicative of the growing disenchantment with government institutions that has been seen across Latin America, analysts say.

Protesters in Peru say the current Congress isn't representative of the people — especially Indigenous communities — and that the nation needs a new constitution.  

Only 1 in every 5 Latin Americans says democracy is working, and trust in Congressional bodies and judicial branches has plummeted, the premier regional poll Latinobarómetro conducted in 2020 and 2021.

This could be "paving the way for authoritarian populists who rail against a failed establishment" to rise in power in the region, warns a recent paper in Johns Hopkins' Journal of Democracy.

Subscribe to Axios Latino to get vital news about Latinos and Latin America, delivered to your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Peru's protest crackdown could lead to authoritarianism, experts say

About 60 people have died and more than 700 have been injured as protests have spread from rural areas to all over the nation.

a young person in pigtails in  Peru pushes against a row of police officers in riot gear

Protesters on Jan. 21 in Lima demand the release of students arrested at a university. Photo: Ernesto Benavides/AFP via Getty Images

Peru

Latin America and Latinos

The Washington Post slammed former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday after he downplayed slain columnist Jamal Khashoggi's credentials as a journalist, calling Pompeo's remarks "vile falsehoods."

Driving the news: In his new memoir, "Never Give An Inch," published Tuesday, Pompeo criticized the media’s coverage of Khashoggi’s brutal murder at the hands of Saudi Arabia.

“He didn’t deserve to die, but we need to be clear about who he was — and too many in the media were not,” Pompeo wrote in the book, according to NBC News, which obtained an advance copy.

Pompeo called Khashoggi's murder "ugly" but criticized what he perceived as the media's portrayal of Khashoggi as “a Saudi Arabian Bob Woodward who was martyred for bravely criticizing the Saudi royal family through his opinion articles in the Washington Post.” 

Pompeo — who also served as CIA director under Trump — called Khashoggi an "activist" and said he was a journalist only insofar as "I, and many other public figures are journalists. We sometimes get our writing published, but we also do other things," per NBC News.

What they're saying: Washington Post publisher and CEO Fred Ryan said in a statement Tuesday that it was "shocking and disappointing" to see Pompeo's book "so outrageously misrepresent" Khashoggi's life and work.

"Jamal dedicated himself to the values of free speech and a free press and held himself to the highest professional standards," Ryan said.

"It is shameful that Pompeo would spread vile falsehoods to dishonor a courageous man's life and service — and his commitment to principles Americans hold dear — as a ploy to sell books," he added.

The big picture: U.S. officials determined that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had approved the 2018 murder of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to an unclassified report.

MBS has denied the allegation but has said he accepted "responsibility" because it "happened under my watch."

Biden was criticized last year after he shared a fist bump with MBS during a trip to Saudi Arabia. Biden once vowed to make the kingdom a "pariah," as U.S.-Saudi relations had been strained over a number of issues, including the murder of Khashoggi.

Wednesday's world stories

U.S. and Germany to send battle tanks to Ukraine

Palestinian officials say the Abbas-Sullivan meeting was bleak

Inside the Sullivan-Netanyahu meeting

Netanyahu's chaotic first month

Scoop: U.S. asked Israel for its Hawk missiles to send to Ukraine

Yellen on poaching in Africa: Follow the money

Pope Francis calls laws criminalizing homosexuality "unjust"

Peru's protest crackdown could lead to authoritarianism, experts say

Washington Post blasts Pompeo's "shameful" remarks on Khashoggi

Beijing's grip on Hong Kong tightens

One man's struggle to keep Islam alive in Taiwan

China wants a more efficient workforce but analysts say that will be tough

Netanyahu meets Jordan's king and commits to status quo in Jerusalem

War in Ukraine pushes Doomsday Clock forward

Several Ukrainian leaders ousted amid corruption allegations

Horn of Africa may see record sixth straight failed rainy season

"Black Panther" actor Tenoch Huerta calls out Hollywood colorism

What to know about 2023's Doomsday Clock announcement