(Photo Credit: Daniel Mears/The Detroit News)

Trump defends decision for Iran drone strike

At a campaign rally in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday night, President Trump told the crowd that he didn’t ask Congress’ approval to assassinate Iranian General Qassem Soleimani because Democrats would have leaked the plan to the press. Democrats have criticized Trump for escalating military tensions with Iran and bringing the U.S. to the brink of war.

“They’re saying, ‘You should get permission from Congress, you should come in and tell us what you want to do–you should come in and tell us, so that we can call up the fake news that’s back there, and we can leak it,'” Trump said to applause from the crowd.

He also accused Democrats of being more upset about Soleimani’s assassination than his ties to terrorism.

“The radical left Democrats have expressed outrage over the termination of this horrible terrorist. Instead, they should be outraged by Soleimani’s savage crimes and the fact that his countless victims were denied justice for so long,” Trump said.

Trump also accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of emboldening Iran by giving them “billions” in the Iran Nuclear Deal.

“By subsidizing Iran’s maligned conduct, the last administration was leading the world down the path of war. We are restoring our world to the path of peace, peace through strength,” Trump said.