Back in the olden days (like before 2017) we listened when the President spoke. If he talked about military actions, war, or national security we knew he was telling us the truth as he understood it.

In my adult lifetime Presidents actually have lied to the American people for their own personal benefit, but that has been extremely rare. Historically, even when Presidents have told us something that was not true it typically turned out to have been an honest misinterpretation of the facts by his Administration.

Now this President has ordered the assassination of the senior military leader in Iran, rocketing us closer to a destructive war. That act would be like Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei ordering the assassination of our Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the Secretary of Defense. The President says it was to prevent “imminent and sinister” terrorist attacks, but has provided no evidence to support that claim.

President Trump has already been impeached by the House of Representatives for abuse of power. And unlike previous Presidents his default instinct on any issue is to lie (he calls it “honest hyperbole”). So should I believe him this time? Or is he abusing his power yet again?