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Trump defends killing of Suleimani: 'We did not take action to start a war' – live Trump defends killing of Suleimani: 'We did not take action to start a war' – live
(32 minutes later)
President makes first public statement since assassination of Iran’s top general and says he will take ‘whatever action is necessary’ – follow livePresident makes first public statement since assassination of Iran’s top general and says he will take ‘whatever action is necessary’ – follow live
Guardian world affairs editor Julian Borger:
State department officials have been trying to bolster claims from the president and secretary of state Mike Pompeo, that the killing of Suleimani stopped imminent attacks and was therefore an act of self defence.
“He was traveling around the region. He’s not there on vacation. He is there for the specific purpose to plan multiple attacks against Americans and facilities, and that’s why he’s hanging out with Muhandis [the PMF militia deputy commander],” said a senior state department official. “Why is he in the car with Muhandis?”
He added: “The threat picture that the intelligence presented made very clear that in the absence of decisive action, hundreds of Americans would be killed” in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
“These were attacks targeting American diplomats, American military personnel, and American – facilities that house Americans. Whether it’s – whether we’re being hosted by the government or whether it’s our own facility,” he said.
The official said that Suleimani would be hard for Iran to replace and so killing him had helped to stop attacks. I’m just saying that Suleimani, I think, was in many ways the indispensable man, and with Suleimani dead, it will be very difficult for these proxies to be organized on the scale, lethality, and effectiveness that they had under Suleimani,” the official said.
Another official said: “There were things he could do that nobody else could do. He was not a decentralized manager; he was a hands-on, down-to-the-details manager. And we are not safe in the region as long as Iran is pursuing this general strategy, but we are safer without him than we are with him.”
A third official added Suleiman’s death would reduce the pace of attacks on Americans.”It slows it down. It makes it less likely,” the official said, adding: “Jesus, do we have to explain why we do these things?”
Leading up to the rally in Florida, where Trump is making case that Democratic leaders pose a threat to the religious freedoms he has protected, his administration announced that it would appeal a district court ruling that blocked a so called “conscience rule” that would have made it easier for health care workers to avoid assisting with abortion or other medical procedures on religious or moral grounds.
Last month the New York Times reported that the rule “is part of a broader agenda by the Trump administration, which says it wants to expand protections for the civil rights of health care workers, even as critics say it has weakened civil rights protections for certain patients. President Trump announced the rule last May at a Rose Garden event for the National Day of Prayer.”
Richard Luscombe, reporting from Miami, has more from the Trump rally:
Trump wasted no time in gloating about the “flawless strike” that eliminated the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani after taking to the stage in Miami 10 minutes earlier than scheduled, and praying with faith leaders, including the pastor of the King Jesus international ministry, Guillermo Maldonado.
“It was flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader,” Trump said, claiming that his death will save the lives of “hundreds and hundreds of Americans.”
Qassem Suleimani has been killed and his bloody rampage is now forever gone. He was plotting attacks against America but now be assured his atrocities have been stopped for good. He was planning a very major attack and we got him.”
We are a peace loving nation,” Trump went on. “My administration remains committed to establishing peace and harmony. We do not seek war we do not seek nation building.””Let this be a warning to terrorists, if you value your life you will not threaten the lives of our citizens.”more later
Donald Trump has taken the stage at ‘Evangelicals for Trump’ event at a Florida church and wasted no time in speaking to the drone strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, Iran’s top general, doubling down on the claim that the military action interrupted an attack Suleimani had planned.Donald Trump has taken the stage at ‘Evangelicals for Trump’ event at a Florida church and wasted no time in speaking to the drone strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, Iran’s top general, doubling down on the claim that the military action interrupted an attack Suleimani had planned.
He was preparing for an attack, Trump said of Iran’s general, “and we got him.” (Trump’s critics have pointed the unverified nature of that claim).He was preparing for an attack, Trump said of Iran’s general, “and we got him.” (Trump’s critics have pointed the unverified nature of that claim).
The US president quickly moved on to his commitment to protecting Evangelical values, a point aimed at the dozens of evangelical leaders who have assembled at the Miami megachurch.The US president quickly moved on to his commitment to protecting Evangelical values, a point aimed at the dozens of evangelical leaders who have assembled at the Miami megachurch.
Richard Luscombe, who’s on the scene in Miami, observe that “Trump is calculating that by appealing to evangelicals he can again lock in the support of a large power base of voters that helped propel him to the White House in 2016.”Richard Luscombe, who’s on the scene in Miami, observe that “Trump is calculating that by appealing to evangelicals he can again lock in the support of a large power base of voters that helped propel him to the White House in 2016.”
That’s it from me on the live blog today. My west coast colleague, Mario Koran, will take things over for the next few hours.That’s it from me on the live blog today. My west coast colleague, Mario Koran, will take things over for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:Here’s where the day stands so far:
In a short statement at his Florida resort, Donald Trump defended the drone strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, Iran’s top general. “We took action last night to stop a war,” the US president said. “We did not take action to start a war.”In a short statement at his Florida resort, Donald Trump defended the drone strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, Iran’s top general. “We took action last night to stop a war,” the US president said. “We did not take action to start a war.”
The US is sending nearly 3,000 more army troops to the Middle East amid fears of reprisals over the killing of Suleimani.The US is sending nearly 3,000 more army troops to the Middle East amid fears of reprisals over the killing of Suleimani.
Mike Pence justified the Suleimani strike by claiming (without evidence) that Iran supported the September 11 attackers – prompting criticism from foreign-policy experts, who called the vice-president’s assertion inaccurate and dangerous.Mike Pence justified the Suleimani strike by claiming (without evidence) that Iran supported the September 11 attackers – prompting criticism from foreign-policy experts, who called the vice-president’s assertion inaccurate and dangerous.
Trump’s Republican allies praised the strike as a necessary intervention to stop a “master terrorist”, but Democratic presidential candidates and lawmakers expressed fear that the attack could have disastrous consequences and set off “another endless war” in the Middle East.Trump’s Republican allies praised the strike as a necessary intervention to stop a “master terrorist”, but Democratic presidential candidates and lawmakers expressed fear that the attack could have disastrous consequences and set off “another endless war” in the Middle East.
The commander of the Quds force, which was previously run by Suleimani, advised Iranians angry about the general’s death to be “patient” and witness the killing of Americans across the Middle East.The commander of the Quds force, which was previously run by Suleimani, advised Iranians angry about the general’s death to be “patient” and witness the killing of Americans across the Middle East.
Mario will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.Mario will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.
Foreign-policy reporters criticized Mike Pence for linking Iran to the September 11 attackers without any evidence in order to justify the drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani.Foreign-policy reporters criticized Mike Pence for linking Iran to the September 11 attackers without any evidence in order to justify the drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani.
(The vice-president also misstated the number of September 11 attackers as 12, rather than 19.)(The vice-president also misstated the number of September 11 attackers as 12, rather than 19.)
Florida’s Democratic party rolled out some religious figures of their own to counter Donald Trump’s afternoon appearance before a Christian evangelical congregation in Miami.Florida’s Democratic party rolled out some religious figures of their own to counter Donald Trump’s afternoon appearance before a Christian evangelical congregation in Miami.
Doug Pagitt, a pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, an organization that mobilizes voters of faith, decried the president’s event as a sham in a press call.Doug Pagitt, a pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, an organization that mobilizes voters of faith, decried the president’s event as a sham in a press call.
“He’s trying to use this rally and this base to give cover for his broken promises and his immoral policies,” Pagitt said.“He’s trying to use this rally and this base to give cover for his broken promises and his immoral policies,” Pagitt said.
“It is Trump’s desperate response to the realization that he’s losing his primary voting bloc, faith voters. He realizes he needs every last vote if he wants a shot at re-election [and] losing even five per cent ends his chances.“It is Trump’s desperate response to the realization that he’s losing his primary voting bloc, faith voters. He realizes he needs every last vote if he wants a shot at re-election [and] losing even five per cent ends his chances.
“Many of these voters realize that Jesus’s admonition that you can gain the whole world and lose your very soul is coming into focus for them. While they will hear from Donald Trump that he is the best thing to ever happen to evangelical Christianity, these are voters who know that their faith does not depend on the power of the presidency.”“Many of these voters realize that Jesus’s admonition that you can gain the whole world and lose your very soul is coming into focus for them. While they will hear from Donald Trump that he is the best thing to ever happen to evangelical Christianity, these are voters who know that their faith does not depend on the power of the presidency.”
Pagitt said the rally offered faith voters two different visions of America. “One is to seek all that which benefits you and your agenda. The other is to think about others and to care for the common good,” he said.Pagitt said the rally offered faith voters two different visions of America. “One is to seek all that which benefits you and your agenda. The other is to think about others and to care for the common good,” he said.
Kevin Chambliss, a youth minister at Miami’s Covenant Missionary Baptist church, spoke of the need to “hold truth to power”.Kevin Chambliss, a youth minister at Miami’s Covenant Missionary Baptist church, spoke of the need to “hold truth to power”.
“We must hold this president accountable by calling out his disdain for law, we must speak up when he labels whole groups of people a racists, murderers and thieves, we have to speak up when he openly mocks people of disabilities, we must speak up when he unapologetically tries to use the government to discriminate against people because of their religious beliefs,” he said.“We must hold this president accountable by calling out his disdain for law, we must speak up when he labels whole groups of people a racists, murderers and thieves, we have to speak up when he openly mocks people of disabilities, we must speak up when he unapologetically tries to use the government to discriminate against people because of their religious beliefs,” he said.
“We need to make sure we don’t have another four years of Donald Trump, I see a better day in our country when those who need help the most can receive it with loving arms and not be taken advantage of as this president has done.”“We need to make sure we don’t have another four years of Donald Trump, I see a better day in our country when those who need help the most can receive it with loving arms and not be taken advantage of as this president has done.”
In his short statement on the Suleimani strike, Trump repeated his administration’s claim that the Iranian general was planning an imminent attack on US forces.In his short statement on the Suleimani strike, Trump repeated his administration’s claim that the Iranian general was planning an imminent attack on US forces.
“Last night, at my direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qassem Soleimani,” the US president said in his statement. “Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him.”“Last night, at my direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qassem Soleimani,” the US president said in his statement. “Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him.”
But it appears even some Penragon officials were unclear on what “imminent and sinister attacks” Trump was referring to.But it appears even some Penragon officials were unclear on what “imminent and sinister attacks” Trump was referring to.
The New York Times reports:The New York Times reports:
The vice president has jumped to Trump’s defense to justify the drone strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, calling the Iranian general “an evil man who was responsible for killing thousands of Americans.”The vice president has jumped to Trump’s defense to justify the drone strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, calling the Iranian general “an evil man who was responsible for killing thousands of Americans.”
But Pence’s list of “atrocities” was criticized by experts for including falsehoods, such as misstating the number of September 11 attackers and linking those terrorists to Iran without any evidence.But Pence’s list of “atrocities” was criticized by experts for including falsehoods, such as misstating the number of September 11 attackers and linking those terrorists to Iran without any evidence.
Here is more of the short statement Trump delivered on the Suelimani strike moments ago at Mar-a-Lago:Here is more of the short statement Trump delivered on the Suelimani strike moments ago at Mar-a-Lago:
“As president my highest and most solemn duty is the defense of our nation and its citizens. Last night, at my direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him.“As president my highest and most solemn duty is the defense of our nation and its citizens. Last night, at my direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him.
“Under my leadership America’s policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. ...“Under my leadership America’s policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. ...
“Today we remember and honor the victims of Soleimani’s many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over. Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. ...“Today we remember and honor the victims of Soleimani’s many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over. Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years. What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. ...
“America will always pursue the interests of good people, great people, great souls, while seeking peace, harmony and friendship with all of the nations of the world.”“America will always pursue the interests of good people, great people, great souls, while seeking peace, harmony and friendship with all of the nations of the world.”
In his statement on the Suleimani strike, Trump praised the work of the intelligence agencies that he has previously criticized as part of a “deep state” seeking to undermine his presidency.
On top of that, US officials have offered few details about the imminent attack Suleimani was allegedly plotting against American forces, leading some of the president’s critics to raise doubts about the veracity of the claim.
Interestingly, the president’s team called the White House press pool back to Mar-a-Lago after the reporters had already left for the airport to travel to Trump’s event in Miami tonight.
Once the press pool returned to the Florida resort, the president delivered his short statement on the Suleimani strike.
Donald Trump will appear at a Miami megachurch later this afternoon intending to bolster his standing with evangelical Christians. But among the lines of supporters waiting to get in, last night’s US military strike in Baghdad was a more popular topic of conversation.
“We can get anybody, anywhere, anytime, anywhere there is terrorism,” said Michael David Layne, 62, a US Army veteran and Trump supporter from Miami, who attends the King Jesus international ministry in West Kendall where Trump is expected to deliver remarks at 5pm ET.
Praising the president for taking “strong action,” Layne said the death of Iranian general Qassem Suleimani would help prevent future bloodshed. “This wasn’t just about last night or this morning, it’s to prevent things all around the world. There’s a lot of confusion in the world, a lot of things going on.” He also believes Trump’s Christian values helped to guide him ordering of the strike. “He might be a little rough around the edges for some people, but he says it like it is, and if some of things he says or the actions he takes upset some people it doesn’t make him less of a man of God.”
Trump’s “congregation” of around 7,000 this afternoon is heavily Hispanic, reflecting the make up of the Miami church where the Latino pastor, Guillermo Maldonado, delivers services in English and Spanish. Maldonado, a Trump loyalist who has prayed with the president at the White House, raised eyebrows in a weekend sermon when he assured immigrant parishioners in the US without papers that they would not be at risk of detention or deportation if they attended today. It makes it likely that a president whose hard-line anti-immigrant position has led to the deportation of thousands of immigrants will be counting among his supporters some of those he has demonized through policies and actions.
There were also a handful of demonstrators outside the church, which was playing soft gospel music over loudspeakers to the waiting faithful. Francisco Morales, 47, traveled 30 miles to the event from Fort Lauderdale with placards highlighting the 10 Commandments he says Trump has violated.
“He’s everything a Christian shouldn’t be. He’s about money and himself, he uses God’s word to his benefit, he doesn’t respect Christian holidays, he insults everyone. And he dishonors his wife, his daughter and all women,” Morales said.
In his short statement to reporters, Trump specifically said the US is not seeking “regime change” in Iran after the killing of general Qassem Suleimani.
But just hours after the strike was carried out, the president’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, expressed hope that the attack would be “the first step to regime change in Tehran.”
In his short statement to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said the US is “ready and prepared” to take “whatever action is necessary” against Iran.
With that, the US president turned and left without responding to shouted questions from the White House press pool.
Trump is delivering a statement to reporters at his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago, his first public remarks since the killing of Iranian general Qassem Suleimani.
“We caught him in the act and eliminated him,” the US president said. “We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over.”
“We took action last night to stop a war,” Trump added. “We did not take action to start a war.”
The White House press pool was just brought into a room at Mar-a-Lago with a podium, where Donald Trump is expected to soon deliver a statement on the killing of Qassem Suleimani.
Democratic senator Tim Kaine has filed a resolution to force a congressional debate on US military operations in Iran, a measure that would need only a majority of senators’ support to pass.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
The Russian foreign ministry has released its own statement on the conversation between minister Sergei Lavrov and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo regarding the Suleimani strike.
The Russian government’s statement said the US attack violates “the principles of international law” and is “fraught with grave consequences for regional peace and stability.”
In contrast, Pompeo said of his conversation with Lavrov that he “emphasized that de-escalation is the United States’ principal goal.”
Congressman Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, expressed fear that the Suleimani strike could lead to escalation between US and Iranian forces.
“I’ve had the opportunity to get a briefing on the intelligence that led to the recent strikes, and I have profound concerns about the prospect for serious escalation,” the California Democrat told reporters on Capitol Hill.