Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the escalating fight between President Trump and Turkey won’t change his plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. Trump threatened to “devastate Turkey economically” should Turkish forces attack U.S.-backed Kurds in Syria once the Americans pull out. Pompeo, who was in Saudi Arabia to meet King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, told reporters in that he assumed Trump’s comments on Twitter were referring to sanctions, adding: “You’re going to have to ask him about that.” Meanwhile, Washington’s top diplomat also divulged what he and the Saudi royals talked about, saying that he told the crown prince that “every single person who has responsibility for the murder of [journalist Jamal] Khashoggi needs to be held accountable.” NBC News reports Pompeo spent 35 minutes with King Salman and 45 minutes with the crown prince, but had to cut short the rest of his Middle East trip to attend a family funeral.
