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US President Donald Trump has linked global condemnation of Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to allegations of sexual assault levelled against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Trump warned of a rush to judgement over allegations by Turkish officials that Khashoggi – a US permanent resident and critic of Saudi leaders, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – was murdered in the Saudis’ Istanbul consulate.

“Here we go again with you know you’re guilty until proven innocent. I don’t like that," Trump said during an Oval Office interview Tuesday. "We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way as far as I’m concerned. So we have to find out what happened.” The president suggested Monday that “rogue killers” could be behind Khashoggi’s disappearance.

The New York Times reports that one of the suspects identified by Turkey in the disappearance of Khashoggi was a frequent companion of the crown prince. Three others are linked by witnesses and other records to the prince’s security detail.