Trump never wanted to take out top al-Qaeda target al-Zawahiri because he didn't recognize his name: report
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Trump "was more interested in a young and less influential figure much farther down the list, according to two people familiar with the briefings, because he recognized the name," the report said at the time.
By Sarah K. Burris
President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. killed top al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who served as Osama bin Laden's No. 2 in the ongoing attacks on the United States. But according to an NBC report from 2020, former President Donald Trump had an opportunity to do the same, but refused because he didn't recognize al-Zawahiri's name.
Reporting in early 2020, NBC News reported that intelligence officials briefed then-President Trump many times about the most worrisome terrorist threats, specifically mentioning al-Zawahri.
Trump would ultimately agree to take out ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Yemeni al Qaeda chief Qasim al-Rimi. But other of the significant names on the CIA's list were ignored.
"He would say, 'I've never heard of any of these people. What about Hamza bin Laden?'" the former official told NBC.
A Pentagon official agreed, noting, "That was the only name he knew."
By contrast, Biden explained that after "relentlessly seeking Zawahiri for years under Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump, our intelligence community located Zawahiri earlier this year. He had moved to downtown Kabul to reunite with members of his immediate family."
"This mission was carefully planned, rigorously minimized the risk of harm to other civilians, and one week ago, after being advised that the conditions were optimal, I gave the final approval to go get him, and the mission was a success," Biden also said.
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MAGA's must be so proud.
They would be, except they can't see past their denial.
... of the guy who tipped over on a bicycle? The guy who fell up the stairs is now Captain Deliberate?
In other bullshit reporting from unnamed unsubstantiated sources it wasn't President Biden that ordered the drone strike. Biden couldn't be bothered on his ice cream break; and transmitting Covid.
Said Biden, "We did what now? Are you sure? They didn't even get my ice cream order right!" A confused Biden was handed a note card- the first line of which was "To shut up and breath" as an instruction; and rushed in front of the media. A few jolts from his shock collar before going out put the President in the right frame of mind.
TDS suffering morons will believe anything the media puts out. that is anti Trump Always from unnamed unsubstantiated sources.
Trump has proven over and over again that he is idiot, so why wouldnt it be believable that he nixed taking out al-Zawahiri because he wasnt familiar with the name?
Trump is no longer in office John and you really should come to grips with that and deal with it. It is all Biden's watch now.
The seeded article is brand new. Obviously NBC believes it is news. Get over it.
You really think Bumbling Biden had any idea who Ayman al-Zawahiri was, or wanted him canceled
Of course.
I'm not the one constantly telling people how guilty he is of crimes that have not been proved in a real court of law. Please get back to us when that happens. Just because NBC says so is not really a indicator of truth
Thirty months ago they did.
Or NBC wants to take the place of CNN as head cheerleader for this administration.
Pretty sure they already have. Cruddy News Network stopped being the most trusted name in news many years ago and have been replaced by the second worst name in news being NBC.
Hardly surprising.
Some people's judgement is so clouded by extreme partisanship they just cannot grasp the concept that this was not about right or left wing ideology. It was about right or wrong and the right thing to do to send another scumbag terrorist packing to Hell where he can roast for eternity with his homey Bin Laden and others when the opportunity presented itself.
Pretty good contortions to make killing a terrorist about Trump. But I had faith someone could do it.
They just make it up and drool over it