President Trump Sunday warned Iran that the United States would conduct a “major retaliation” if Iranian leaders respond to the killing of top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was struck by a drone last week.
“If it happens, it happens,” Trump said of the possibility that Iran will respond to the killing. “If they do anything, there will be major retaliation.”
Trump, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled from his home in Palm Springs, Florida, back to Washington, D.C., dismissed Iranian objections to his plan to target cultural sites if the U.S. attacks the country.
“They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people,” he said. “They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way.”
Iran’s foreign minister said targeting cultural sites would be a “war crime.”
Trump said he would consider releasing intelligence related to the Soleimani killing amid questions raised by Democrats about the administration’s justification for the drone strike, which includes claims that he was planning attacks.
“We may discuss that,“ Trump said.
He said Soleimani was “leading his country down a very bad, dangerous path.”
