Warren: ‘Reasonable to ask’ about timing of Soleimani strike ahead of impeachment trial

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a top-tier Democratic presidential candidate, said Sunday it is “reasonable to ask” about the timing of the Trump administration’s operation that killed top Iranian commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani. 

Warren did not go so far as to suggest that President Trump approved the strike to distract from the looming Senate impeachment trial, but she told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” that “people are reasonably asking about this timing.” 

“The question we have to focus on is why now, why not a month ago, why not a month from now. The answer from the administration seems to be they can’t keep their stories straight,” Warren said. 

She added that the administration acted similarly last summer when questions emerged over Trump’s communication with Ukraine and the holdup of foreign aid to the country. 

“The  administration did the same thing, [they] pointed in all directions about what was going on,” Warren said. 

“What emerged then,” she added, was a picture of “Donald Trump just trying to advance Donald Trump’s own political agenda.” 

“The president could be facing an impeachment trial, [we] know he’s deeply upset about that, I think people are asking why this moment? Why does he … pick this highly inflammatory, highly dangerous action that moves us closer to war, we’ve been at war … 20 years in the Middle East,” she added. 

Tapper pressed Warren, asking if she was “suggesting” that Trump approved the operation as a “distraction” from impeachment. 

“I think people are reasonably asking about his timing and why the administration seems to keep having all different answers,” she responded. 

“Is that what you think?” Tapper asked. 

“I think it is a reasonable question to ask…I think it’s the right question to ask,” she responded. 

Trump has defended the decision, saying it was an action to “stop a war” not to “start a war.” 

U.S. officials have asserted there was evidence Soleimani was planning attacks that would put American lives in danger.