Trump suggests the downing of a U.S. drone was the mistake of a 'stupid person,' not 'intentional'

Greg P. | 12:50 PM on June 20, 2019

President Trump spoke with reporters in the Oval Office a few minutes ago and suggested that a “stupid person” and not the regime itself was responsible for the downing of a U.S. drone in international waters earlier today:

Now Trump says maybe Iran didn't mean it:

"I would imagine it was a general or somebody who made a mistake by shooting that drone down. I find it hard to believe it was intentional. It could have been somebody who was loose and stupid."https://t.co/52yrpSo9Xk @josh_wingrove pic.twitter.com/yfCWqH9ZC4

— David S. Joachim (@davidjoachim) June 20, 2019

Trump said Iran "made a very bad mistake" in shooting down the unarmed US drone, but said Iran is a "different country" since he took power and blames it on a "stupid person" not the higher ups in the regime.

— Tonda MacCharles (@TondaMacC) June 20, 2019

"I have a feeling that it was a mistake made by somebody who shouldn’t have been doing what they did" says #Trump on #Iran #drone attack. "We didn't have a man of woman in the drone… It would have made a big, big difference."

— Suzanne Lynch (@suzannelynch1) June 20, 2019

He went on to say that it’s “hard to believe it was intentional”:

Trump dismissing the drone attack with "hard to believe it was intentional" and the most recent assault on tankers in international waters as "very minor" somehow exists alongside the narrative that he's desperate to go to war with Iran.

— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) June 20, 2019

"Somebody under the command of that country made a mistake," Trump says of the Iran drone shooting. "I find it hard to believe that it was intentional," he adds. Trump says he's not worried about his own aides maybe gunning for war, then doubles down on not wanting Mideast wars.

— Anne Rumsey Gearan (@agearan) June 20, 2019

Well, the president did call it a “very big mistake” which this would be:

Iran made a very big mistake!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2019

And he did leave open the idea of some sort of retaliation:

"This country will not stand for it," says Trump of the Iran drone attack, suggesting some form of retaliation.

— John Ivison (@IvisonJ) June 20, 2019

#Trump says "you'll find out soon" when asked about response to #Iran #drone attack as he meets Canadian PM #JustinTrudeau at the White House. But adds: "I find it hard to believe it was intentional."

— Suzanne Lynch (@suzannelynch1) June 20, 2019

More quotes from the press pool:

Latest on #Iran:
TRUMP CALLS IRAN'S SHOOTING DOWN OF U.S. DRONE A NEW FLY IN THE OINTMENT

TRUMP SAYS HE DOES NOT FEEL LIKE HIS ADMINISTRATION IS PUSHING HIM TOWARD CONFLICT AND IN SOME CASES IT’S JUST THE OPPOSITE

— Suzanne Kianpour (@KianpourWorld) June 20, 2019

TRUMP SAYS IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEONE WHO WAS LOOSE AND STUPID WHO SHOT U.S. DRONE DOWN

TRUMP, ASKED IF HE WAS STILL OPEN TO TALKING WITH IRAN, SAYS LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS

— Suzanne Kianpour (@KianpourWorld) June 20, 2019