Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Monday accused Democrats of “mourning” the death of Qassem Soleimani, the top Iranian general killed in a U.S. airstrike last week.
In an interview with Fox News, Haley quipped that Democratic candidates for president in 2020 as well as Democratic leadership in the House and Senate were saddened by the loss of Soleimani, who the Trump administration has said was responsible for the death of U.S. troops in Iraq.
“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. The only ones that are mourning the loss of Soleimani are our Democrat leadership and our Democrat presidential candidates,” Haley said Monday.
“This was something that needed to be done and should be celebrated,” she continued. “And I will tell you right now, partisan politics should stop when it comes to foreign policy. This is about America united.”
“We need to be completely behind the president, what he did, because every one of those countries are watching our news media right now, seeing what everyone’s saying,” Haley added. “And this is a moment of strength for the United States. It’s a moment of strength for President Trump.”
Democrats in the House and Senate have slammed the Trump administration over the airstrike that killed Soleimani, arguing that the U.S. is not at war with Iran and that striking Soleimani represented a run around Congress on the matter.
Some, including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is running for president, have referred to Soleimani’s death as an assassination, while others have disagreed. Most Democrats have called for the president to seek congressional authorization before taking further military action.