Trump Says He’s Forming ‘Very Strong Opinion’ on Khashoggi Death

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said he's forming a “very strong opinion” on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist who was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, leading to calls for U.S. sanctions against Riyadh.

Trump, speaking Wednesday during a post-election press conference at the White House, said his administration is working with Turkey and Saudi Arabia to determine what happened to Khashoggi, and with Congress to decide the U.S. response.

U.S. lawmakers from both parties have called for sanctions against Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's death. Senate Republicans want to suspend negotiations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia for a nuclear technology sharing agreement, a move Trump has said he's reluctant to make.

Trump is weighing competing versions from Saudi Arabia and Turkey of how Khashoggi died. Turkish prosecutors say Khashoggi was strangled soon after entering the consulate and his body was dismembered in a premeditated hit. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has denied any involvement in the killing.

To contact the reporter on this story: Saleha Mohsin in Washington at smohsin2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Joshua Gallu, Mike Dorning

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