US President Donald Trump sends Pompeo to Saudi King Salman over missing journalist

Washington: Donald Trump on Monday spoke with the Saudi King Salman over missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi and ‘immediately’ dispatched his top diplomat to Riyadh to discuss the issue with the monarch who denied having any knowledge about the dissident who, the US president believes, could have been a victim of "rogue killers."

"I just spoke to the king of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of what took place with regard to, as he said, his Saudi Arabian citizen. I've asked, and he firmly denied that," Trump told reporters at the White House after talking with Salman over phone.

Trump said he has asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to immediately get on a plane, go to Saudi Arabia, go to other places if necessary, which he probably will, but with regards to this, go to Turkey if necessary.

Khashoggi, a 60-year-old Saudi journalist who became increasingly critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has not been seen since he walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to receive documents regarding his marriage.

Turkish officials believe Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. "The King told me that Turkey and Saudi Arabia are working hand in hand, very closely, on getting to the bottom of what happened. So, we'll see what happens, but Mike Pompeo is leaving literally within an hour or so. He's heading to Saudi Arabia," said the US President.

Asserting that the US is going to leave nothing uncovered, Trump reiterated that Saudi King firmly denied any knowledge of it. "He did not really know, maybe, I do not want to get into his mind, but it sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers, who knows. We're going to try getting to bottom of it very soon.”