Donald Trump's old tweets have come back to bite him yet again.
Early Friday morning, a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport killed Iran’s top general Qassem Soleimani.
According to HuffPost, Trump directed the assassination of Soleimani without congressional authority. Many of Trump's old tweets, which surfaced online shortly after the attack, claimed that Barack Obama would start a war with Iran in an effort to win reelection. Following the attack, an old tweet from the 45th president, in which he wrongly predicted Obama would do something parallel during his first presidency in order to get reelected, began to recirculate.
"In order to get elected, Barack Obama will start a war with Iran," the president wrote in 2011.
In order to get elected, @BarackObama will start a war with Iran.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2011
In a painfully ironic doubling down, Trump made the same allegations three times throughout October of 2012.
"Now that Obama’s poll numbers are in tailspin — watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate," he tweeted.
Now that Obama’s poll numbers are in tailspin – watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2012
"Polls are starting to look really bad for Obama. Looks like he'll have to start a war or major conflict to win," he tweeted. "Don't put it past him!"
Polls are starting to look really bad for Obama. Looks like he'll have to start a war or major conflict to win. Don't put it past him!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2012
"Don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get elected — be careful Republicans!" he wrote.
Don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get elected–be careful Republicans!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2012
The 45th president was it again a year later during Obama’s second term in office.
"I predict that President Obama will at some point attack Iran in order to save face!" he said.
I predict that President Obama will at some point attack Iran in order to save face!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2013
Many social media users reacted to the president's hypocritical nature showing itself yet again.
"There truly is a tweet for everything," Vicky Ward, a senior reporter at CNN, said as she exposed the old tweets.
There truly is a tweet for everything. https://t.co/24mC1Xi4mb
— Vicky Ward (@VickyPJWard) January 3, 2020
Mike Baker, a New York Times correspondent, questioned the president's mindset.
"'There's Always a Tweet' feels flippant on a night like this," Baker tweeted. "But given the president's mindset in this old tweet, it's hard not to wonder about his mindset in carrying out a drone strike to kill an Iranian general 48 hours into the 2020 election year."
"There's Always a Tweet" feels flippant on a night like this. But given the president's mindset in this old tweet, it's hard not to wonder about his mindset in carrying out a drone strike to kill an Iranian general 48 hours into the 2020 election year. https://t.co/fFVtg4AhmP
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) January 3, 2020
Others pointed to the irony of Trump choosing to attack Iran in an election year after alleging Obama would do the same thing.
"He always accuses others of what he is thinking and what he would do," tweeted Cenk Uygur, a Democratic Congressional candidate in California. "He might have just done this exact thing by killing the top Iranian general. Except he won't get re-elected because no one in America wanted this insane war."
He always accuses others of what he is thinking and what he would do. He might have just done this exact thing by killing the top Iranian general. Except he won't get re-elected because no one in America wanted this insane war. https://t.co/QiEkcZWP8J
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) January 3, 2020
"Nope, that would be you" said law professor Khaled Beydoun, referring to Trump's old tweet in which he claims Obama will start a war to get reelected.
Nope, that would be you https://t.co/FNjlEOrs6E
— Khaled Beydoun (@KhaledBeydoun) January 3, 2020
"And here we are, in an election year, and look at what you've done," journalist Max Blumenthal said, also referring to the President's old tweet.
And here we are, in an election year, and look at what you've done https://t.co/yL3tP910Ma
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) January 3, 2020
The Pentagon sent a statement following the attack, saying Soleimani was planning attacks on American diplomats.
“Gen. Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement. “This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans.”
According to Gizmodo, Trump withdrew the U.S. from a peace deal with Iran last year and directed the attack on Soleimani.
Iranian leaders have vowed to retaliate against the U.S. following Friday's attack, the Independent reported. While calling out the president for his old tweets, social media users said they also fear the consequences.
"There’s always a tweet. Only this time Trump is likely to get a lot of people killed," one Twitter account wrote.
There’s always a tweet. Only this time Trump is likely to get a lot of people killed. https://t.co/oUxtYTGAqL
— 5 Calls ???????? (@make5calls) January 3, 2020
"This is terrifying," said Mckayla Wilkes, who is running for a seat in Congress.
This is terrifying. https://t.co/40LEuFDthk
— Mckayla Wilkes for Congress (@MeetMckayla) January 3, 2020
The president has also been exposed in the past for an old tweet in which he criticizes Americans for not paying taxes.
"HALF of Americans don't pay income tax despite crippling govt debt," he wrote in 2012.
HALF of Americans don't pay income tax despite crippling govt debt…http://t.co/gDAUj0Kt
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 23, 2012
In another tweet from 2016, Trump called out Obama for playing too much golf.
"While our wonderful president was out playing golf all day, the TSA is falling apart, just like our government! Airports a total disaster!" he tweeted.
While our wonderful president was out playing golf all day, the TSA is falling apart, just like our government! Airports a total disaster!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 21, 2016
According to FiveThirtyEight, the president currently has a 42.5% approval rating.