Biden ‘disturbing’ granted MBS immunity over Khashoggi that Trump wouldn’t, ‘humiliating’ that he was rejected on oil

During Friday’s “Morning Joe” show on MSNBC, Washington Post Columnist David Ignatius reacted to the State Department backing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s immunity from trial for the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi saying “it’s worrying that it’s the Biden administration that ends up doing what Donald Trump himself wouldn’t do.” And “humiliating for Biden” to ask for MBS support and be rejected on oil, then take that extra step.

Ignatius said: “What is troubling here is that the decision to elevate him to the post of Prime Minister which was taken by his father, King Salman, came three days before the deadline which Judge Bates had set for a decision on this matter from the Department of Justice and the Department of State as to whether he was entitled to immunity. In other words, it was the only way for him to get it, and he arrived at the 11th hour. The Trump administration, for all its embrace of MBS, never granted him the immunity he wanted. He has been asking for immunity since 2020, 2021. The Trump administration left office without responding to this request. And it’s troubling that it’s the Biden administration that ends up doing what Donald Trump himself wouldn’t do.

He later added: “It is deeply embarrassing. I mean humiliating for Biden to have gone for the support of MBS, and essentially gotten the back of his hand, no support on oil, at a time when it’s strategically critical for the United States and ‘Having this additional move, again, the State Department says it’s pro forma, it’s not a political decision. Well, in the end, it’s all a political decision.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett