This is our timeline of what Trump administration officials have said about the intelligence assessments behind the U.S. operation to kill Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Trump Administration’s Shifting Statements on Soleimani’s Death
Locations: International
Post Blurs Facts on Military Draft, Immigrants
A meme falsely claims President Donald Trump “makes illegals eligible” for the draft. There is no military draft, and immigrants — including those in the country illegally — are already required to register with the Selective Service.
Video: FactChecking Trump’s Iran Address
In this week’s fact-checking video, CNN’s Jake Tapper examines several claims from President Donald Trump’s remarks after an Iranian missile attack on military bases in Iraq housing U.S. coalition forces.
Pelosi Did Not ‘Defend’ Soleimani
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to kill Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani as “provocative and disproportionate.” But, contrary to the president’s contention, she did not “defend” Soleimani.
Posts Spread Fake Omar Tweet Calling for ‘Violence’
A fictitious tweet attributed to Rep. Ilhan Omar is circulating on social media. The congresswoman didn’t write that the “time for violence is now” over her disagreement with President Donald Trump’s actions on Iran.
FactChecking Trump’s Iran Address
In an address to the nation a day after an Iranian attack on military bases housing U.S. soldiers in Iraq, President Donald Trump made some dubious, misleading and inaccurate claims.
Pence Links Iran’s Soleimani to 9/11 Attacks
Vice President Mike Pence tweeted that Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani “[a]ssisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan” of some of the terrorists who executed the 9/11 terrorist attacks. However, that doesn’t mean that Iran, or Soleimani, knowingly aided al Qaeda in carrying out the attacks, which may be the impression some got from Pence’s tweet.
Conway, Pompeo on Iranian Cultural Sites
President Trump twice threatened to target cultural sites in Iran if Iranian leaders retaliate for the killing of Qasem Soleimani. Even so, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House counselor Kellyanne Conway falsely claimed that Trump never made such a threat.
FactChecking Trump’s NATO Remarks
President Donald Trump repeated a slew of false claims to an international audience at the annual NATO summit.
Did Obama Fire All Bush-Appointed Ambassadors?
Q: Did President Barack Obama immediately fire all Bush-appointed ambassadors “the day he was elected office”?
A: No. As is the custom, Obama immediately replaced most — not all — of Bush’s politically appointed ambassadors. Obama did not remove any of the career appointees to ambassadorships.