Intel: Why Congress isn’t satisfied with Trump’s latest Saudi sanctions

The Donald Trump administration today took the unprecedented step of sanctioning several Saudi officials for their suspected role in murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. But Congress, which set in motion today's action by pushing for a federal probe under the Global Magnitsky Act last month, isn’t satisfied.

“These sanctions are an appropriate response to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, but today’s action does not put this issue to rest,” Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., who is likely to assume control of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in January, said in a statement. “It remains unclear whether the Trump administration has determined who is responsible for this horrific incident. Until responsibility is confirmed, this matter is unresolved and deserves Congress’ scrutiny.”

Engel also accused the Trump administration of initially trying to “sweep this incident under the rug.”

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's top Democrat, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, also tweeted that this “announcement looks like a coordinated attempt to sweep this case under the rug. I expect full accountability and will work to ensure it.”