President Donald Trump

The US Senate has voted to withdraw American support for a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, in a blow to President Donald Trump.

Many senators are unhappy with Trump’s response to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis had urged senators not to back the motion, saying it would worsen the situation in Yemen.

However, senators voted 63-37 to take forward the bipartisan motion.

Criticism of Saudi Arabia has grown since Khashoggi, a US resident, was killed while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in Turkey on 2 October.

US media have said the CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered his killing.

However, President Trump has dismissed the report, saying the CIA had not drawn firm conclusions.

He has described Saudi Arabia as a vital ally and resisted calls for sanctions against the kingdom’s leadership.