Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) was joined by Hanan Elatr Khashoggi — the wife of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi — and U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin (Md.-08) and Suhas Subramanyam (Va.-11) to urge President Trump to release the transcript of his 2019 call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Vindman, who reviewed the call while serving as a deputy legal advisor on the White House National Security Council, reiterated that the American people — and the Khashoggi family — deserve transparency about what was said.
Speakers emphasized that the circumstances surrounding Khashoggi’s killing, and the Trump administration’s engagement with the Saudi government in its aftermath, demand full public disclosure of the call’s contents.
“I’m honored to have Mrs. Khashoggi standing with me today as we remember her husband and call for transparency and accountability for her family and for the American people. Given President Trump’s disturbing and counter-factual defense of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week, I felt compelled to speak up on behalf of the Khashoggi family and the country I serve. That is why I took to the House floor to bring to light a call I reviewed during my tenure on Trump’s White House National Security Council staff,” said Vindman. “All week, I’ve urged the President to release this transcript. Yesterday, I sent him a letter with 37 of my colleagues demanding its release. We will continue pressing until the American people get the truth.”
“I’m seeking the help of Congressman Vindman to get the contents of the conversation between President Trump and MBS to get the truth,” said Khashoggi. “Try as much as you can to save the Democratic freedom of America. Do not be a copy of the Middle East dictator countries. We look to America as our role model of modern civilization. Please maintain it.”
“Thank you to Congressman Vindman for your leadership in making sure that Jamal Khashoggi is not forgotten,” said Raskin. “We will stand always with Mrs. Khashoggi in the search for justice in what has happened.”
You can watch the full press conference here.
BACKGROUND
Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and U.S. resident, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 — an assassination that drew global condemnation and raised serious questions about Saudi Arabia’s leadership and the Trump administration’s response.
At the time of the Trump–bin Salman call in 2019, Vindman was serving as a lawyer on the White House National Security Council, where his duties included reviewing certain presidential calls with foreign leaders. Following Khashoggi’s murder, he reviewed this call and believes its contents are of clear public interest.
Earlier this week, Vindman led 37 U.S. House lawmakers in sending a letter to President Trump calling for the immediate release of the transcript.
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