Schiff: Saudi prince has Khashoggi's 'blood on his hands'

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on the Yahoo News “Skullduggery” podcast Friday that no president should meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ever again, following the release of a newly declassified intelligence report on Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s killing.

Video transcript

REP. ADAM SCHIFF: Well, I was very pleased that the report not only finally came out as required by law, but that it was as unequivocal as it was. This is a blunt statement by the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines that the crown prince has blood on his hands, that he is directly implicated in the order to capture or kill Jamal Khashoggi. So I was very pleased. It all not only holds the crown prince accountable as it should, but also identifies others that were responsible for that murder and dismemberment of an American resident and journalist.

Well, I would like to see the administration go farther. And I have told the administration as much. I don't think the president should meet with the crown prince. I don't think he should be invited to the United States. I don't think the president should be speaking with him. And I think we should look at going after some of his assets in the Saudi investment fund that are tied to entities that had a role in this murder.

So I would like to see them go further. I think they can go further without having a complete rupture of the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

DAN KLAIDMAN: What is your position on supplying Saudi Arabia with arms right now? Is that something that ought to be seriously considered and would you support a ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF: I would support banning arms sales to Saudi Arabia. And Saudi Arabia would have to change its conduct dramatically for me to want to lift that ban. So I'm glad they have put in place a ban in terms of Yemen and our pausing any other kind of military sales. In my view, given the malign conduct of Saudi Arabia and its crown prince, there needs to be a very compelling justification to be selling them weapons.