Hanan Elatr, the widow of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, condemned both US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an interview with The Associated Press for their statements at a press conference during the prince's visit to Washington regarding the killing of her husband.
Trump welcomed Salman with a great ceremony at the White House on Tuesday, defending him against the criticism surrounding the killing of journalist Khashoggi, which US intelligence agencies concluded was approved by the crown prince.
Trump said on Tuesday that bin Salman knew nothing about the October 2018 killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi leadership.
“A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you liked him or didn't like him- things happen.” Trump said.
Elatr told the AP that Trump's response was very upsetting and very disappointing.
“He described someone else, not Jamal Khashoggi. Jamal was a very kind man and a very stable personality. Transparent, professional, and a brave man,” she said.
Salman told the press, “It's very painful to hear anyone who loses his life for no real purpose, or not in a legal way, and it's been painful for us in Saudi Arabia.”
In response to the prince's comments, Elatr told the AP that she has not received an official apology or any financial compensation, and that she is still waiting for the remains of her husband's body to be returned, so that he can be properly put to rest.
Trump dodging question, 'fake news' accusations
When an ABC News reporter asked Trump a question during the press conference, the US leader, upon hearing that the reporter was with ABC, dodged the question and simply stated "fake news" in reference to the outlet.
“It gave me a feeling like I'm in a third-world country,” Elatr told the AP.
She went on to say that silencing journalists and intimidating them doesn't suit the American values of freedom of speech, democracy, and freedom of the press.
Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, where he had gone to obtain documents for his impending wedding. His body was dismembered and removed from the building, and his remains have not been found.
The murder sparked global outrage, damaging Prince Mohammed's reformist image and straining the relationship between the US and its closest Arab ally.
In November 2018, Trump suggested that Salman might have known about Khashoggi's killing. However, the president stated that the US would continue to be a "steadfast partner" to Saudi Arabia and would not "foolishly cancel" contracts for Saudi purchases of US military equipment.
Reuters contributed to this report.