Trump defies calls to punish Riyadh for Khashoggi's murder

US President Donald Trump has declared he will not further punish Saudi Arabia for the murder of US-based writer Jamal Khashoggi - making clear in a statement that the benefits of good relations with the kingdom outweigh the possibility its crown prince ordered the killing.

Trump condemned the brutal slaying of Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul as a "horrible crime... that our country does not condone". But he rejected calls by many in Congress, including members of his own party, for a tougher response, and he dismissed reports from US intelligence agencies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman must have at least known about such an audacious and intricate plot.

"It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event," the president said on Tuesday. "Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!"