THE BEAST

SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian has implied that President Trump may have ordered the killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani to distract the public from impeachment proceedings.

Trump personally ordered the killing by airstrike of Iran's top general, who was viewed by the United States as a ruthless killer. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement saying that Trump ordered the airstrike "without the consultation of Congress."

Tankian suggested on Friday that Trump was thinking of his own political future when he authorized the killing of Soleimani .

"A month before his impeachment trial in the Senate and on an election year Trump makes a call to assassinate a leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, " the singer wrote. "A move [ Bill ] Clinton made, bombing Iraq before his Senate impeachment. We're saying NO TO ANOTHER WAR!"

President Trump on Friday said he ordered the death of Soleimani to stop a war, not start one. He also said Soleimani was plotting "imminent and sinister attacks" on Americans.

Trump told reporters that the general should have been taken out by previous presidents.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday warned that a "harsh retaliation is waiting" for the U.S. after the airstrike that killed Soleimani .

In 2011 and 2012, Trump repeatedly accused President Barack Obama of seeking war with Iran to help win the 2012 presidential election.

During his second term, Obama successfully negotiated the Iran nuclear deal that saw Iran halt its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Two years ago, Trump scrapped the nuclear deal and introduced new sanctions.

A month before his impeachment trial in the Senate and on an election year Trump makes a call to assassinate a leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. A move Clinton made, bombing Iraq before his Senate impeachment. We’re saying NO TO ANOTHER WAR! https://t.co/KvLqZADAw2

— Serj Tankian (@serjtankian) January 3, 2020