Biden says he read the report on Khashoggi’s murder

President bidenJoe BidenHoyer: House is going to vote on the COVID-19 relief bill on Friday. Pence meets with senior members of the Republican Studies Committee. Powell rejects Republican Party inflation fears said on Wednesday it read the report on the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“Yes, I do,” Biden told reporters at the State Dining Room, after signing an executive order on the economy, without giving further details.

The Biden government is expected to release a non-confidential version of the report on Khashoggi’s death shortly. Biden also said he would speak to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, but did not offer a timetable or confirm reports that the call will take place on Wednesday.

“I’m going to talk to him, I haven’t talked to him yet,” said Biden.

The release of the report is likely to complicate US relations with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to have approved the murder of Khashoggi in 2018, who was a journalist for The Washington Post.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) will release the report, which Reuters said would happen on Thursday.

White House Press Secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiHillicon Valley: Companies call for action at SolarWinds hearing | Facebook lifts ban on Australian news | Biden to take action against Russia in overnight ‘weeks’ in healthcare: vaccine manufacturers COVID-19 promise massive increase in supply | Biden’s health nominee faces first Senate test | White House defends reopening of facility for migrant children Ocasio-Cortez criticizes opening of facility for migrants to children under Biden MORE told reporters on Wednesday that Biden would speak to King Salman “soon”, but did not offer a specific deadline.

Director of National Intelligence Avril HainesAvril HainesSenate confirms Vilsack as secretary of agriculture, Schumer, sets up a confirmation blitz in the Senate Night defense: NATO expanding troops in Iraq MORE committed during his confirmation hearing to release the report on Khashoggi’s murder. Congress was informed of the confidential version of the report in 2018, but the Trump administration resisted calls to release an unclassified version, even after Congress passed legislation requiring the intelligence community to release an unclassified version of the report.

Reuters reported on Thursday that the released report concludes that the Crown Prince approved and probably ordered Khashoggi’s assassination. The Post reported in 2018 that the CIA concluded that the Crown Prince ordered Khashoggi’s murder. Khashoggi had criticized the Saudi government in his columns.

Biden is expected to differ from the friendly relationship that President TrumpDonald Trump Romney: “Sure” Trump would win the Republican Party nomination in 2024 if he ran for the Pence presidency by meeting with senior members of the Republican Studies Committee Trump says “without a doubt” Tiger Woods will be back after the accident MORE and his administration had with the Saudi government. Psaki said earlier this month that Biden would “recalibrate” relations with the Saudis, including talking to King Salman instead of his son, the Crown Prince.