Pompeo Pops Off at MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Questioning Him on Trump’s Threat to Iran Culture Sites

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not appear to appreciate MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell pressing him on President Donald Trump’s threat to attack Iranian cultural sites.

As Pompeo took questions on Tuesday about America’s rising tensions with Iran after the fatal airstrike against Qasem Soleimani, Mitchell presented him with Trump’s verbatim defense of his call to target Iranian cultural sites. Mitchell also brought up how Defense Secretary Mark Esper pushed back on the idea of a military attack on cultural sites, saying it would violate “the laws of armed conflict.”

“I’m wondering whether you would push back in your advice or in your role?” Mitchell asked Pompeo. “You’re not really wondering, Andrea,” Pompeo responded, insisting he was “unambiguous” about how America’s further action “will be consistent with the international rule of law.”

From there, Pompeo dodged the question in order to monologue on how the Iranian government has committed the real damage to Persian culture with their oppressive regime.

“Let me tell you what’s done damage to the Persian culture. It’s not the United States of America. It’s the Ayatollah,” Pompeo said. He ended the presser shortly after without answering Mitchell’s question.

Pompeo’s exchange with Mitchell comes days after he made went on TV media blitz where he insisted that any further U.S. action on Iran would comply with international law. At one point, Pompeo falsely claimed Trump never threatened an attack on cultural sites, even though the president tweeted as much and has re-affirmed his threat since then.

Watch above, via MSNBC

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