Pelosi calls out MBS -- and says America must 're-evaluate' relationship with Saudi Arabia

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) blasted Saudi Arabia on Friday after the public release of a report on the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"The chilling report from the Intelligence Community confirms what the world has long known: that Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered at the direction of top Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. This heinous event is an affront to the rule of law and to the most basic understanding of human rights," Pelosi said in a statement.

The report was compiled during the Trump administration, which blocked its release to the public.

""The United States government must re-evaluate and recalibrate the relationship with Saudi Arabia, given the findings of this report, which are part of a disturbing pattern of human rights abuses from the Kingdom," she urged.

""The United States Congress stands with President Biden in promoting transparency relating to human rights abuses and in supporting partnerships that advance our security, uphold our values and protect our interests. We support the steps being taken by the Administration to hold Saudi Arabia accountable, including related to Global Magnitsky and visa denials for human rights abusers," she explained. "House Democrats are introducing legislation to honor Khashoggi's life's work with targeted sanctions on those who commit gross violations against journalists. At the same time, we will continue to monitor human rights in Saudi Arabia, including working to ascertain the health and legal status of Abdul Sadhan, whose family are San Francisco residents."

"Saudi Arabia needs to know that the world is watching its disturbing actions and that we will hold it accountable," Pelosi added.