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.
-
How will Ford reinvent EV manufacturing to compete with China?Today's Big Question Henry Ford's assembly line system is being replaced
-
The latest entry in Ethan Coen's queer trilogy, a Jeff Buckley documentary and the rare children's horror flick in August moviesthe week recommends The month's film releases include 'Honey Don't!,' 'It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley' and 'Sketch'
-
Switzerland could experience unique economic problems from Trump's tariffsIn the Spotlight The current US tariff rate on Switzerland is among the highest in the world
-
US, China extend trade war truce for 90 daysSpeed Read The triple-digit tariff threat is postponed for another three months
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summitSpeed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Israeli security cabinet OKs Gaza City takeoverSpeed Read Netanyahu approved a proposal for Israeli Defense Forces to take over the largest population center in the Gaza Strip
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fightSpeed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry growsSpeed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade dealSpeed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashesSpeed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
