In response, the Trump administration imposed small economic sanctions on seventeen Saudis who U.S. intelligence operatives believed were responsible for the act, but did not implicate MBS. Many U.S. lawmakers said the sanctions were woefully insufficient punishment for the crime. Senator Rand Paul, a Republican ally of Trump’s, tweeted in response, “We are pretending to do something and doing NOTHING.” Meanwhile, Trump cast doubt on the CIA’s assessment by telling reporters it was “very premature” and boasting about Saudi Arabia as “a truly spectacular ally.”
