President Donald Trump fired back at Sen. Lindsey Graham after the latter suggested the president showed “weakness” toward Iran for not responding more forcefully when Iran shot down a US surveillance drone in June.

Graham made his comment on Twitter after receiving a briefing from Vice President Mike Pence on the recent, devastating attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq oil facility, which the administration is claiming was carried out by Iran. The South Carolina Republican, a notorious war hawk and advocate for regime change in Iran, was clearly implying that Iran had been emboldened by Trump’s inaction three months ago.

The measured response by President @realDonaldTrump regarding the shooting down of an American drone was clearly seen by the Iranian regime as a sign of weakness.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 17, 2019

Trump, who just last week pushed out National Security Advisor John Bolton reportedly over the latter’s unwillingness to compromise on Iran sanctions, quickly reacted to Graham’s foreign policy criticism from the right.

Tweeting back, Trump claimed that his lack of response three months ago was actually a “sign of strength that some people just don’t understand.”

No Lindsey, it was a sign of strength that some people just don’t understand! https://t.co/EU8AvfH7j9

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2019

Photo credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images.

from Mediaite https://ift.tt/30dxVxn