Jared Kushner strongly suggests Trump is open to assassinating foreign leaders
President Trump told Fox & Friends on Tuesday that despite earlier denials, he had been all set to assassinate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017 but James Mattis, his defense secretary at the time, "didn't want to do it." Political assassinations have been illegal in the U.S. since President Gerald Ford signed Executive Order 11905 in 1976, following revelations of U.S. assassination attempts in Latin America.
A few hours after Trump told Fox & Friends he "would have rather taken [Assad] out," his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner told Sinclair Broadcasting's James Rosen that Trump "always keeps all options on the table," Rosen reported Wednesday. In the interview, he asked Kushner twice if Trump considered assassinating foreign leaders "a legitimate tool of U.S. foreign policy," and Kushner suggested the answer is yes, even if he preferred not to use the word assassination.
"Different terminology could be used to describe, you know, different methods that you're going to take to try to retaliate to somebody for an action that they've taken," Kushner said. Trump "knows that it's a full-contact sport. This is not touch football."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Executive Order 11905 does not define political assassination, and while Trump opted against assassinating Assad, he did order the killing of a top Iranian general, Qassem Suleimani. The Trump administration used "different terminology" to describe that targeted drone strike, but whether or not it was lawful rests on a disputed technicality.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published