Sen. Rand Paul calls situation after Soleimani's death 'sad,' says Trump got 'bad advice'

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Monday that President Donald Trump got "bad advice" in ordering the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, creating a "sad" situation with Iran.

Paul decried what he believes is the end of all hope for diplomatic relations with Iran both due to the magnitude of Soleimani's death, but also due to his replacement.

"This is sad. I mean, the death of Soleimani, I think, is the death of diplomacy with Iran," Paul said. "I don't see an off-ramp. I don't see a way out of this."

Paul said he is concerned that Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and other administration officials didn't consider the repercussions of the strike and what it might mean for the ability of the U.S. to reason with Iran or come to any agreements.

"You would have to be brain-dead to believe that we tear up the agreement, we put an embargo on you and we kill your major general, and they're just going to crawl back to the table and say, 'What do you want, America?'" Paul said.

Whether or not President Trump needed the approval of Congress for the strike against Soleimani has been a point of debate in Washington, D.C., in the days since the strike. Paul falls on the side of many Democrats on this issue, saying the president should have gotten congressional approval.

"I think killing a country's major general is an act of war," Paul told CNN. "I don't think you can get away with saying it's 'imminent.' They've been complaining for years about Soleimani. I mean, most of the killings that are attributed to him are, I think, are from the Iraq War. You know, 10 years ago or longer. And so, I think that saying this is 'imminent' and saying they don't need the permission of Congress goes against the traditions of our Constitution."

Watch the interview below:

(H/T: The Hill)