Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill softened their opposition to U.S. engagement with Saudi Arabia once the White House confirmed Tuesday that President Biden will visit the county next month, reversing his pledge to make the kingdom a “pariah.”
The visit is expected to include interaction with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom the U.S. intelligence community implicated in the 2018 killing and dismemberment of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Mr. Biden made a campaign promise to make Saudi Arabia an international “pariah” because of the killing and to take a tougher stance on the kingdom’s human rights record.