What Is At Stake For Trump In The Khashoggi Case?

Most of the press coverage of the Khashoggi case so far has been based on rumors and strategic leaks. Very few people know what happened at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul that day, and they probably don't have any intention to reveal 'the naked truth.'

Trump's administration is longing to look away, but President Erdogan has decided to use this situation to his advantage, and he is ready to drag Washington into it if necessary. President Trump has received the message and on Tuesday sent CIA director Gina Haspel to Istanbul to be briefed on the case. 

But why is Trump unwavering in his opinion not to let crown prince Mohammed bin Salman down?

In this podcast, Mark Landler, White House correspondent, and Michael Barbaro discuss the complicated relationship between Trump's administration and the crown prince. 

President Trump basically 'chose' Mohammed bin Salman as the king's successor. By inviting him to a state dinner when he wasn't even the number 2 in Saudi Arabia, he was betting on him. 

On the one hand, bin Salman presented himself as a social reformer, which made the alliance look better. On the other hand, back then he was the Minister of Defense and able to deliver the promise that Saudi Arabia would invest 110 billion in U.S. defense systems. Lastly, the crown prince professes a strong anti-Iran sentiment, just like Trump. By supporting him, Trump was winning a critical player in the region.

He felt free to do whatever he wanted, and things started to go wrong.

According to Landler, Trump knows a great deal of what happened in the consulate and wishes the world wouldn't pay so much attention. For Washington, this is not a human rights issue, but a huge PR problem. 

If further evidence is released (although it seems unlikely, since President Erdogan is obviously negotiating with Rihad), the situation will be critical. 

What will Trump do then?