The New York Times reported Thursday evening that President Donald Trump ordered air and naval strikes against Iranian targets in response to the shooting down of a U.S. Navy drone earlier that day, but canceled them “abruptly.”
The Times reported:
President Trump approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing an American surveillance drone, but pulled back from launching them on Thursday night after a day of escalating tensions.
…
The operation was underway in its early stages when it was called off, a senior administration official said. Planes were in the air and ships were in position, but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down, the official said.
…
It was not clear whether Mr. Trump simply changed his mind on the strikes or whether the administration altered course because of logistics or strategy. It was also not clear whether the attacks might still go forward.
The Times added a curious detail: “No government officials asked The New York Times to withhold the article.”
Co-pilot stabbed during Flydubai flight describes lifesaving moment he opened cockpit door
Rain or Shine: Trump Rushes to Oklahoma Rally by Highway After Severe Weather Grounds Him
How Kansas became collateral damage in Trump’s Canadian trade war — and threw the local GOP for a loop
Inside the House GOP’s 4-week battle plan to save its majority
Seattle Announces New Minimum Wage, Blasts Through $22 Threshold for First Time in U.S. History
Vance embodies Nixon’s populist, outsider qualities
Trump’s first-year government overhaul delivers change Washington hasn’t seen since the 1960s
Trump admin wants to require tax filers to disclose citizenship status to IRS
Lawyers, experts urge Tennessee governor to commute Christa Pike’s sentence after botched execution
AOC’s dramatic retelling of Cornell rape allegations collides with complaint details
Trans NYT Executive Faced Child Cruelty Charges Before Shooting Death – Police Say In-Laws Opened Fire
Texts cited by Eric Schmitt at Jack Smith hearing lacked team names: Report
Breaking: Trump Economy Notches Win as US Jobless Numbers Plummet to Half-Century Low Last Seen in 1969
College professor accused of sending explicit Snapchat messages in child solicitation case: sheriff’s office
EXCLUSIVE: Supreme Court prayer grotto case could impact ‘every single zoning law’ in America, attorney says
Trump’s critics accused him of “cold feet.” But the fact that the administration did not try to stop the story also suggests it could have been leaked deliberately. Indeed, at least one other reporter claimed he had received similar information:
.@nytimes scooping me again. I was sitting on this information for six hours. Can confirm this reporting. https://t.co/SLgwuKeAO4
— Jim LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) June 21, 2019
Co-pilot stabbed during Flydubai flight describes lifesaving moment he opened cockpit door
Rain or Shine: Trump Rushes to Oklahoma Rally by Highway After Severe Weather Grounds Him
How Kansas became collateral damage in Trump’s Canadian trade war — and threw the local GOP for a loop
Inside the House GOP’s 4-week battle plan to save its majority
Seattle Announces New Minimum Wage, Blasts Through $22 Threshold for First Time in U.S. History
Vance embodies Nixon’s populist, outsider qualities
Trump’s first-year government overhaul delivers change Washington hasn’t seen since the 1960s
Trump admin wants to require tax filers to disclose citizenship status to IRS
Lawyers, experts urge Tennessee governor to commute Christa Pike’s sentence after botched execution
AOC’s dramatic retelling of Cornell rape allegations collides with complaint details
Trans NYT Executive Faced Child Cruelty Charges Before Shooting Death – Police Say In-Laws Opened Fire
Texts cited by Eric Schmitt at Jack Smith hearing lacked team names: Report
Breaking: Trump Economy Notches Win as US Jobless Numbers Plummet to Half-Century Low Last Seen in 1969
College professor accused of sending explicit Snapchat messages in child solicitation case: sheriff’s office
EXCLUSIVE: Supreme Court prayer grotto case could impact ‘every single zoning law’ in America, attorney says
Trump tweeted Thursday morning that “Iran made a very big mistake!”, but later suggested that the “mistake” may have simply been an accident. In the double meaning of the word “mistake,” he preserved both the threat of retaliation and the possibility of a diplomatic solution.
Regardless, Iran will know how close it was to being attacked, and still is.
Story cited here.
