As Biden begins his five-day trip to the Middle East, his decision to visit the Saudi crown prince, who US intelligence officials believe ordered the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has come under scrutiny. The president defended his decision at a news conference, saying the Saudis were key to stabilizing the region and reiterating his commitment to human rights. “My views on Khashoggi were absolutely, positively clear,” Biden said. “The reason I’m going to Saudi Arabia is to promote US interests in…[and] to restore our influence in the Middle East. The Washington Post reported that Biden planned to focus on Iran’s attempts to acquire nuclear weapons during the meeting. In June, the president said he would not meet the crown prince and vowed to make the Saudis a “pariah” state during his campaign.
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