Donald Trump ยท Republican ยท Military Action

Drone Strike Killing Iranian General Qassem Soleimani

Jan 3, 2020
Donald TrumpForeign PolicyMilitary ActionFirst term (2017โ€“21)
๐Ÿ“œ View the official record on federalregister.gov

What happened

Ordered a drone strike near Baghdad airport that killed Iran's most powerful military commander, Qassem Soleimani, sharply escalating U.S.-Iran tensions.

How it happened

Presidential order authorizing a targeted military strike on January 3, 2020.

Documented impact

Positive impactcontested
Removed a commander tied to attacks on U.S. forces.
The administration said Soleimani directed lethal operations against Americans and posed imminent threats.
Negative impactsubstantiated
Triggered Iranian retaliation and injuries to U.S. troops.
Iran fired ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases hosting U.S. forces; ~110 service members were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries. In the tense aftermath Iran accidentally shot down a civilian airliner, killing 176.

Sources

Every claim above links to its source. Primary record and cited reporting: