If President Trump was trying to keep it all secret, he did a very poor job.

The New York Times on Thursday night reported that Trump had approved airstrike on Iran to retaliate against their shooting down a surveillance drone, but then decided at the last minute to call off the attack. “Planes were in the air and ships were in position, but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down, the official said,” the Times wrote.

On Friday, Trump explained what had occurred.

“We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “10 minutes before the strike I stopped it.”

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In a series of tweets he wrote:

“President Obama made a desperate and terrible deal with Iran – Gave them 150 Billion Dollars plus I.8 Billion Dollars in CASH! Iran was in big trouble and he bailed them out. Gave them a free path to Nuclear Weapons, and SOON. Instead of saying thank you, Iran yelled…..

“….Death to America. I terminated deal, which was not even ratified by Congress, and imposed strong sanctions. They are a much weakened nation today than at the beginning of my Presidency, when they were causing major problems throughout the Middle East. Now they are Bust!….

“….On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters. We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not….

“….proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone. I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!”

President Obama made a desperate and terrible deal with Iran – Gave them 150 Billion Dollars plus I.8 Billion Dollars in CASH! Iran was in big trouble and he bailed them out. Gave them a free path to Nuclear Weapons, and SOON. Instead of saying thank you, Iran yelled….. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019

….Death to America. I terminated deal, which was not even ratified by Congress, and imposed strong sanctions. They are a much weakened nation today than at the beginning of my Presidency, when they were causing major problems throughout the Middle East. Now they are Bust!…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019

….On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters. We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019

….proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone. I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019

“The planned U.S. attack, ordered after Iranian forces shot down a U.S. Navy drone over the Strait of Hormuz, would have involved airstrikes and was close to being carried out when it was stopped, said an administration official, who would not discuss whether the plan might still be revived,” Bloomberg reported.

There are also reports that the U.S. drone that was shot down was actually in Iranian airspace.

“Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the country had ‘indisputable’ evidence the U.S. drone had violated Iranian air space, and state TV showed what it said were recovered parts of the downed aircraft. ‘The Islamic Republic of Iran would not hesitate for a moment to decisively defend its territory against any aggression,’ Araghchi said in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday,” Bloomberg reported.