Trump against cancelling USD 110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is against cancelling the USD 110 billion mega arms deal with Saudi Arabia as this will hurt America's economy and jobs.

Under tremendous pressure from the media and the Congress for taking some action against Saudi Arabia, after the sudden disappearance of Saudi dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey, Trump told reporters that he is trying to get at the bottom of the issue and has sought details of it from Saudi Arabia.

Khashoggi, who wrote for The Washington Post, is feared being killed by Saudi officials inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, where he was last seen entering.


Turkish officials claim that they have the audio and video which indicate that Khashoggi was brutally killed inside the consulate. Saudi Arabia has denied the allegations so far. But it has been facing global outrage on the issue.

Trump said that he plans to call the Saudi King on this issue. "I will be also calling King Salman of Saudi Arabia, because I think it's appropriate for me to ask him what is going on,” he said.

He, however, said that he is against cancelling the USD 110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia because of this. Such a move, he asserted, would have an impact on jobs in the US. In addition, countries such as Russia and China are ready to supply them with the necessary arms, if US backs off. But he has not made any final determination in this regard, he said.