It has been over two weeks since Jamal Khashoggi, a well known Saudi journalist, was killed in the Saudi Arabia consulate in Turkey. Khashoggi was a prominent journalist in Saudi Arabia covering major stories for various news organizations. He was close to the royal family before falling out of favor and moving to the U.S. in a self-imposed exile last year. Khashoggi has been writing columns for the Washington Post since moving to the U.S. often times being critical of Saudi Arabia and their crown prince.

Khashoggi told BBC three days before he disappeared he left Saudi Arabia out of fear he would be arrested in a crackdown on dissent from Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

For more than two weeks Saudi Arabia consistently denied knowing anything of Khashoggi’s whereabouts. Prince Mohammed’s brother and Saudi ambassador to the U.S., Prince Khaled bin Salman, said any reports linking Saudi officials and the disappearance of Khashoggi were completely false. Officials from the consulate in Istanbul said he left once his paperwork was completed.

Saudi Officials then changed their story to say Khashoggi was killed in an interrogation gone wrong. On Oct. 20, Saudi officials changed their story again and said Khashoggi had died in the consulate after a fight broke out and died from being put in a choke hold before being rolled up in a rug and disposed of. Turkish President Erdogan says he has strong evidence to suggest the “savage” killing was planned days in advance. Up to 18 Saudi nationals arrived in Istanbul in the days leading up to the murder. Bringing a bone saw with them into the consulate to dismember the body of Khashoggi. Turkish officials say they have video and audio proof to back up their claims of a savage murder. The group removed the security cameras and surveillance footage from within the constable prior to Khashoggi arriving. Many of the men believed to be part of the killing have links to the crown prince.

One man dressed up in Khashoggi’s clothes wearing a fake beard and glasses and left the consulate two hours after Khashoggi had originally entered the building in an attempt to show him leaving. From pictures obtained by CNN you can see his hair and shoes are different than those Khashoggi.

According to Sky News late yesterday the body or at least parts of the body of Khashoggi was found on the property of the council general to the consulate in Turkey.

It is pretty obvious Saudi Arabia and their crown prince have been caught ordering the murder of an outspoken journalist and trying to cover it up. President Donald Trump has said he is watching the situation very closely and their will be serious repercussions for Saudi Arabia. It is a known fact stated by Trump himself that Saudi Arabia spends millions of dollars on Trump products and resorts. Trump would rather have the money given to him and his business by the Saudi’s then harm his relationship with them by going after the Saudis. Trumps son Eric Trump went on Fox news and urged the U.S. not to throw their relationship with Saudi Arabia away.

The younger Trump called the killing savage while at the same time saying the U.S. needs friends in the Middle East and needs the billions they spend on weapons from the United States.

As a Journalism student and wanting to go into this profession this killing as well as the leaders of the United States response or lack of response is troubling. Saudi Arabia is a country with a bad reputation for crimes against humanity and they way they treat citizens especially those who speak out against them. But the way President Trump has called journalists the enemy of the people has given people the confidence to act out against journalists. Take the shooting of the Maryland Capital Gazette for example. A man was arrested for grabbing a women’s breast on a flight. He told investigators the president of the United States says it is okay to grab women by their private parts. Trump’s words have meaning and can result in real life conflicts.

Do I believe the killing of the Khashoggi would have taken place without Trump being president? Yes I do. Do I also believe the punishment against Saudi Arabia will be less with Trump president. Yes I do.