Former ABC News anchor Sam DonaldsonSamuel (Sam) Andrew DonaldsonMSNBC's Nicolle Wallace says she'll 'gladly' vote for Sanders Former colleague Brit Hume on Sam Donaldson's Bloomberg endorsement: 'Never thought I'd see this' Sam Donaldson pens op-ed endorsing Bloomberg for president MORE countered claims Sunday that President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE is “wagging the dog” with his decisions toward Iran.

CNN’s “Reliable Sources” Brian Stelter asked Donaldson if he thought Trump was doing so, noting that the question was posed in 1998 by people wondering whether then-President Clinton’s strikes against Osama Bin Laden were a distraction from his looming impeachment.

“I don’t think he’s wagging the dog now,” Donaldson said, of Trump.

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“If you wag the dog you have to do it in early September, early October when the rally around the flag instinct is there for all Americans. You can’t wag it now, and then after several months of a dog bringing back body bags to this country and the people saying, ‘what are we doing this for,’ that won’t work,” the longtime political journalist added.

Legendarily newsman Sam Donaldson: Unlikely Trump is “wagging the dog” with his risky strike on Iran’s top military leader.



“If you wag the dog you have to do it in early September… the President… is simply reacting to the fact that he can’t be seen in his eyes to be weak.” pic.twitter.com/uHnOMNFF5v — Reliable Sources (@ReliableSources) January 5, 2020

The comments come after Trump decided to kill Iranian top commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week. Trump and administration officials have defended the decision, saying that Soleimani was plotting against Americans but critics of the plan argue that it could lead America to a war with Iran.

The attack came as Trump is facing a looming Senate impeachment trial, after the House voted in favor of two articles of impeachment against him at the end of 2019.

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Donaldson said Trump, in his decision to kill Soleimani, is “simply reacting to the fact that he can’t be seen, in his eyes, to be weak.”

“He’s gotta be strong he’s gotta strike back,” Donaldson added. “Well, it hasn't worked so far and it wont with Iran.”

He said the U.S. needs to negotiate in order to de-escalate to avoid a “war with body bags on both sides.”

“We’ve got to start right this moment, and he’s not going to do it,” Donaldson said.

Trump vowed in a Saturday night tweet to attack Iran “harder then they have ever been hit before” if Iran attacks the U.S. He also touted the strength of the U.S. military in an early Sunday morning tweet warning Iran that the U.S. will “be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way” if Iran attack an American base.