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Trump thought it would be 'stupid' to 'pick a fight' with Saudis over Jamal Khashoggi's murder, claims new book

Donald Trump was speaking about his decision not to 'pick a fight' with the Saudi ruler because oil prices would skyrocket, according to a forthcoming book by an anonymous author who is a senior Trump administration official.

BY SMITA M

UPDATED FEB 24, 2020

According to the forthcoming book, 'A Warning,' President Donald Trump decided not to actively confront Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, about columnist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder because he was afraid global oil prices would spike.

The book's anonymous author, a senior Trump administration official, quoted Trump asking, "Do you know how stupid it would be to pick this fight? Oil would go up to one hundred fifty dollars a barrel. Jesus. How f***ing stupid would I be?"

President Donald Trump (R) holds up a chart of military hardware sales as he meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Oval Office at the White House on March 20, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

On October 10, 2018, Khashoggi's fiancee had asked Trump and Melania for help. Trump in a statement on October 14, 2018, said that there would be "severe punishment" if Saudi Arabia was involved in the murder. It led to a drop in Saudi stock exchange and fears that the country could retaliate through its oil exports.

Then, on October 15, Trump suggested, after a call with Saudi King Salman, that "rogue killers" could be responsible for Khashoggi's murder. However, on November 16, 2018, a CIA assessment report, published in the 'Washington Post', stated Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the state-sanctioned assassination.

A protester dressed as Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and another dressed as U.S. President Donald Trump, demonstrate with members of the group Code Pink outside the White House in the wake of the disappearance of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi October 19, 2018 in Washington, DC. Khashoggi has disappeared following a meeting at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. (Getty Images)

Khashoggi had written several critical columns about the prince in 'The Washington Post'. The prince, however, denied this allegation in an interview on CBS's '60 Minutes' news program. However, he has taken responsibility as a "leader" in Saudi Arabia since agents of the Saudi government were responsible for killing but said it was impossible for him to keep track of all three million people working for the Saudi government.

Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2, 2018, to collect a document that he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz. Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate building and his body was allegedly dismembered and carried out in bags and suitcases to Saudi Arabia's consul residence. Khashoggi's body has still not been found.

Saudi Arabia has charged 11 people for the cold-blooded killing and even held a secret trial. However, no one has been convicted yet.