Democrat demands release of ‘shocking’ Trump-Saudi call from 2019 after Khashoggi’s death

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A Democratic lawmaker who served on Donald Trump’s National Security Council in his first term urged the White House on Friday to release a transcript of Trump’s 2019 call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s killing.

“The Khashoggi family and the American people deserve to know what was in that call… the receipts will raise serious questions,” Representative Eugene Vindman told a news conference with Khashoggi’s widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi.

In 2019, Vindman worked on the National Security Council where his job included reviewing confidential telephone calls.

“In my opinion, that call was shocking,” Vindman, a retired Army officer, said.

Vindman declined to release details about the call because it was classified. But he said it involved a quid pro quo, implying that Trump had offered a favor in return for something.

Asked for comment, White House communications director Steven Cheung said in an email: “Vindman is a bitter back-bencher who nobody takes seriously. He is a serial liar.”

Trump gave bin Salman a lavish welcome at the White House on Tuesday and defended him over the killing of Khashoggi by Saudi agents, which U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded the crown prince approved.

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.

Vindman represents Virginia, Khashoggi’s home when he was killed at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Dozens of congressional Democrats joined him this week in signing a letter demanding the White House release the call transcript.

Vindman did not specify the date of the call. According to media reports, Trump and the Saudi leader spoke on June 21, 2019. News coverage said they discussed U.S. tensions with Iran and oil prices.

In November 2018, Trump said bin Salman may have known about Khashoggi’s killing. But, the president said, the U.S. would remain a “steadfast partner” to the kingdom and not “foolishly cancel” Saudi contracts to buy U.S. military equipment.

Vindman said he was concerned by two calls while at the NSC, one with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that led to Trump’s first impeachment and the call with the Saudi ruler.

Vindman’s twin brother, Alexander Vindman, also worked on the security council and blew the whistle on the Zelenskiy call that led to Trump’s first impeachment. In that call, Trump suggested that Zelenskiy investigate Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)