US President Donald Trump boasted that he saved Saudi Arabia's crown prince from greater scrutiny over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, investigative reporter Bob Woodward’s new book reveals.
In one of 18 interviews with Woodward, Trump defended Mohammed bin Salman over the murder inside a Saudi consulate of Khashoggi, a US-based critic of the crown prince's rule.
"I saved his a**," Trump told Woodward for his forthcoming book "Rage," according to an excerpt quoted by AFP.
"I was able to get Congress to leave him alone. I was able to get them to stop," Trump said.
Trump also noted that Prince Mohammed denied involvement in the murder of Khashoggi.
"He will always say that he didn't do it," Trump was quoted as telling Woodward. "He says that to everybody, and frankly I'm happy that he says that. But he will say that to you, he will say that to Congress, and he will say that to everybody. He's never said he did it."
Khashoggi was killed and dismembered at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.
Saudi Arabia has admitted that Khashoggi was killed after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, after initially denying Turkish claims that he was murdered.
The murder resulted in tensions between lawmakers and the White House. Trump had reaffirmed his support for Saudi Arabia, despite the murder of Khashoggi, insisting the US-Saudi Arabian alliance is beneficial not only for American interests, but also for those of Israel.
Lawmakers from both parties, meanwhile, had called for a strong US response to Khashoggi's murder.
In the interview with Woodward, Trump defended his stance by pointing to the major oil producer's purchases of US goods, including weapons.
"He says very strongly that he didn't do it," Trump was quoted as saying. "Bob, they spent $400 billion over a fairly short period of time."