Despite US President Donald Trump’s vote of confidence, senators in the US Congress have brought in a bipartisan resolution to hold Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

The proposal, which was introduced on Wednesday by six senators from Republican, Democratic and independent voter base, says the Senate "has a high level of confidence" that Mohammed bin Salman "was complicit in the murder".

"This resolution - without equivocation - definitively states that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardising our national security interests on multiple fronts," said Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from the US state of South Carolina.

The resolution also says the Senate believes the crown prince “was in control of security forces” during the killing and “based on evidence and analysis made available to this institution, has a high level of confidence that Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi”.

If the vote goes through which it likely will, the resolution will be an official condemnation by the U.S. to Saudi Arabia for the killing of the Washington Post columnist.

The resolution, which also calls for an end to U.S. support to Saudi Arabia’s military campaign in Yemen, is non-binding. However, if passed it would force President Trump to decide whether or not to veto the measure. That Republican senators have been as vocal against Trump’s proclaimed favourite ally says a lot about the intelligence that was given to them on Jamal Khashoggi’s killing by CIA chief Gina Haspel which has prompted this resolution.

Last month, the US president issued a statement saying the US would remain a steadfast ally of Saudi Arabia, even though the prince “may or may not” have been behind the Saudi journalist’s killing that has triggered global outrage.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 07, 2018 06:23 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).