President Trump and Secretary Pompeo deny ABC report on Khashoggi tape
The Trump administration has strongly denied a claim that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was played an alleged audio recording of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and that he was provided a transcript during his visit to meet Turkish officials in Ankara this week.
Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Turkish officials allege that he was murdered inside and that they have audio recordings that prove it.
“Mike Pompeo was never given or shown a Transcript or Video of the Saudi Consulate event," President Trump wrote in a tweet on Friday.
“I’ve heard no tape, I’ve seen no transcript," Pompeo also said, speaking to reporters en route to Mexico City late Thursday.
A senior Turkish official — speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly — told ABC News on Thursday that Pompeo was played the recording during his visit and that he was given a transcript. ABC News’ source did not claim that anyone played a video for Pompeo.
"Secretary Pompeo has neither heard a tape nor has he seen a transcript relating to Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement on Thursday evening.
Turkey had not given an audio recording to any country, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters on Friday. “Turkey has not given a voice recording to Pompeo or any other American official,” Cavusoglu said.
The senior Turkish official who spoke to ABC News on Thursday did not claim that Secretary Pompeo had been given the recording.
