Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said Monday that the Democratic leadership and 2020 presidential candidates are “the only ones mourning” the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
“I’ll tell you this: You don’t see anyone standing up for Iran. You’re not hearing any of the Gulf members, you’re not hearing China, you’re not hearing Russia,” said the Republican Haley on Fox’s “Sean Hannity Show.” “The only ones that are mourning the loss of Soleimani are our Democrat leadership and our Democrat presidential candidates.”
Congressional Democrats and 2020 presidential candidates have slammed President Trump for the drone strike Friday that killed the Iranian military leader responsible for hundreds of American deaths in the Middle East.
Democrats have argued that the strike will lead to war in the Middle East and that Mr. Trump should have sought congressional authorization, but Ms. Haley said that Soleimani’s death “should be celebrated.”
“You go tell that to the 608 American families who lost a loved one,” said Ms. Haley, the former South Carolina governor. “Go tell that to the military members who lost a limb. This was something that needed to be done, and should be celebrated.”
“The only ones mourning the loss of Soleimani are our Democrat leadership and Democrat Presidential candidates.” pic.twitter.com/IZJJqpxkBE
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) January 7, 2020
While enormous crowds turned out Monday in Tehran to mourn Soleimani’s death, “No one else in the world [mourns], because they knew that this man had evil veins,” said Ms. Haley.
“And I’ll tell you right now, partisan politics should stop when it comes to foreign policy,” she added. “This is about America united. We need to be completely behind the president, what he did, because every one of those countries is watching our news media right now and seeing what everyone is saying, and this is a moment of strength for the United States. It’s a moment of strength for President Trump.”
Iran responded to the strike by declaring it would exit the 2015 nuclear deal — Mr. Trump pulled out of the deal in 2018—and threatening retaliation.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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