The U.S. Senate dealt two blows Thursday to the Trump administration’s abysmal handling of relations with Saudi Arabia following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In back-to-back votes, the Senate condemned Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of Khashoggi in Turkey in October and recommended pulling U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen that's driving a humanitarian crisis.
The resolution holding the Crown Prince responsible for Khashoggi's murder passed unanimously by voice vote while the effort to end U.S. military involvement in Yemen passed 56-41.
All eyes will now turn to the House on the matter of condemning Prince Mohammed. If the House passes it, it will go to Trump's desk. Speaker Paul Ryan's spokesperson has said only, "we'll keep you posted."
As for pulling U.S. support for the Saudi's war in Yemen, Ryan—aided by five Democrats—already ensured that won't happen.
Five Democrats saved House Republicans from an embarrassing floor defeat Wednesday, voting with the GOP on a farm bill rule that controversially included language blocking a vote on U.S. involvement in Yemen. [...] GOP leadership sneaked the Yemen provision into the farm bill rule on Tuesday night, enraging many Democrats and some Republicans critical of U.S. support for the Saudis.