The Trump administration insists that it killed top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani to prevent an “imminent” attack on the U.S.–but President Donald Trump signed off on his assassination over six months ago.
NBC News reported on Monday morning that Trump authorized a fatal drone strike on Soleimani in June.
“There have been a number of options presented to the President over the course of time,” an unnamed official told NBC News.
The report further complicates the administration’s claim that Iran was right about to attack the U.S. before Soleimani’s death on January 3.
Ever since the assassination, Trump’s top officials have been unable to explain exactly when or where Iran was going to strike.
