Mnuchin Meets With Saudi Crown Prince Amid Khashoggi Scandal

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in Riyadh on Monday, Reuters reports. A tweet from the Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated Prince Mohammed met “with the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and stresses the importance of Saudi-US strategic partnership, where it holds an important role in the future in line with the Kingdom’s #Vision2030.” The tweet included a photo of the men together. A U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday that Mnuchin would not be attending Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative conference, but that he would “hold talks on joint efforts toward countering terrorist financing and curbing Iran’s military and political influence.” Mnuchin followed in President Trump’s footsteps in his public reaction to Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi’s slaying in Istanbul’s Saudi Arabian consulate earlier this month, calling the country’s explanation for his death a “good first step but not enough.” He also reportedly said that it was too soon to discuss sanctions against the country.

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