Trump defends Soleimani airstrike during rally

(Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

published 15 January 2020

President Trump used part of his Tuesday night campaign rally in Milwaukee to defend his decision to authorize an airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

Trump claimed Soleimani was "the world's No. 1 terrorist," dubbed him the "king of roadside bombs," and said "great percentages of people don't have legs right now and arms because of this son of a bitch."

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran were already high, and Soleimani's death only heightened matters, with Iran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. Trump has alleged that Soleimani was plotting "imminent attacks" against the United States, but has offered no evidence. He said Democrats should "be outraged by Soleimani's evil crimes, not the decision to end his wretched life," and predicted "they're gonna start a new investigation. Was the attack imminent?"

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.