Uber CEO downplays murder of Jamal Khashoggi as 'mistake,' then backtracks

After saying that murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabian operatives was a "mistake," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is trying to save face.

"That government said that they made a mistake ... It's a serious mistake," Khosrowshahi said during an interview on Axios on HBO in an answer to a question about Khashoggi's murder, and whether it impacted his decision to skip Saudi Arabia's annual investment conference afterwards.

"We've made mistakes, too, right, with self-driving ... and we're recovering from that mistake. People make mistakes, it doesn't mean they can never be forgiven," he said.

It's worth noting that, during the interview, Axios business editor Dan Primack pointed out that a pre-planned murder is very different from a fatal technical error involving Uber's self-driving cars.

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According to Axios, Khosrowshahi later called the outlet to say he regretted the language he'd used, and sent a statement the following day.

"I said something in the moment that I do not believe. When it comes to Jamal Khashoggi, his murder was reprehensible and should not be forgotten or excused," the statement read.

Saudi Arabia is Uber's fifth-largest shareholder, and the head of the country's sovereign wealth fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, is sitting on Uber's board. When asked whether he should stand for re-election on the board, Khosrowshahi said that it's "up to him."

Khosrowshahi also said that Saudi Arabia is "just like any other shareholder."

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Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Oct. 2018 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. A CIA report concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination, while the Prince himself said the assassination happened "under his watch," but did not admit he'd ordered it.