Intel: How Trump’s pass for Saudis is firing up Congress

President Donald Trump is daring Congress to a face-off over Saudi Arabia’s murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In a full-throated defense of the kingdom today, Trump challenged the bipartisan chorus of lawmakers zeroing in on punitive action against Riyadh, all but announcing that he would veto or otherwise seek to undercut their efforts to hold Saudi Arabia to account.

“I understand there are members of Congress, who for political or other reasons, would like to go in a different direction — and they are free to do so,” Trump said in a statement highlighting the need to ally with Saudi Arabia in his hard-line Iran strategy. “I will consider whatever ideas are presented to me, but only if they are consistent with the absolute security and safety of America.”

Why it matters: Despite Trump’s defiant statement, both Democrats and Republicans, including notable Iran hawks, have called for punitive action against Saudi Arabia — and have introduced legislation to do just that.

“In this failure of leadership from President Trump, it now falls to Congress to stand up for America’s true values and lasting interests,” Washington Post CEO Fred Ryan said in a statement.