IRAN/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump downplayed the dramatic escalation in tensions with Iran Thursday [6-20-19], after the downing of a US drone near the Persian Gulf sparked fears that tensions with Tehran could spill over into confrontation. Calling the shootdown ‘a new wrinkle, a new fly in the ointment,’ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office he finds it ‘hard to believe it was intentional.’ Earlier in the day, Trump had tweeted that “Iran made a very big mistake!” as he and his national security officials huddled to weigh possible responses. Some lawmakers called for restraint and others warned Iran should prepare for ‘severe pain.’ Trump’s ominous — if vague — tweet came after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it had shot down an ‘intruding American spy drone’ after it entered into the country’s territory Thursday. Trump told reporters later Thursday morning that the drone had been over international waters. Asked if the US would respond or go to war, Trump said, ‘you’ll find out.’”
–Kevin Liptak and Nicole Gaouette, “Trump downplays Iran tensions after drone shot down,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, June 20, 2019 4:41 pm