WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Deputy Chair Ilhan Omar (MN-05) released the following statement regarding Trump’s White House meeting with Saudi ruler Mohammed Bin Salman:
“Trump’s disgusting display at a White House reception for MBS—attacking American journalists on MBS’s behalf and warmly embracing the Saudi dictator—marks a new low in longstanding U.S. support for the repressive monarchy.
“I strongly condemn Trump’s insults against the courageous dissident journalist and U.S. resident Jamaal Kashoggi, as well as Trump’s attack on the ABC reporter Mary Bruce who raised Khashoggi’s killing, as a ‘terrible person.’ It is truly disturbing that the president of the United States dismissed Kashoggi’s entrapment, murder, and dismemberment at the hands of MBS’s assassins simply as, ‘things happen.’
“With announced sales of F-35 warplanes and billions in financial investments, Trump is prioritizing weapons-contractor profits and his own family’s business interests, including Jared Kushner’s private equity firm that took $2 billion from MBS. Given MBS’s use of U.S. arms to devastate Yemen, Congress must do everything in our power to rein in and block Trump’s reckless and corrupt deals.
“Finally, with respect to any mutual defense agreement being considered with MBS, no American soldiers may be sent into harm’s way to defend Saudi Arabia without a debate and vote of authorization from Congress. My Progressive Caucus colleagues and I are committed to ensuring that this remains the case.”
