Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plot

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday ripped Saudi Arabia's effort to conceal the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

"They had a very bad original concept. It was carried out poorly, and the cover up was one of the worst in the history of coverups," Trump told reporters at the White House. "Whoever thought of that idea I think is in big trouble, and they should be in big trouble."

Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. He was never seen exiting the diplomatic facility.

After denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for more than two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said he was killed during a fight inside the diplomatic facility.

But Khashoggi's body has not been recovered, and Riyadh has yet to explain its shifting narrative on what transpired.