War with Iran? We'll "soon find out," Trump says

"Iran made a very bad mistake," Trump said. "The drone was in international waters clearly. We have it documented." [View in browser]( [Image](  JUNE 20, 2019 On Thursday, Iran shot down a U.S. drone. Whether that drone was flying in Iranian or international air space is a disputed question, and one with [massive implications]( in the escalating tension between the two countries.  The Iranian’s Revolutionary Guard said the drone entered Iranian airspace, and therefore violated their airspace, but U.S. officials disputed that, saying it was in international territory.  President Trump said the public will "soon find out" about a U.S. response.  "Iran made a very bad mistake," the president continued. "The drone was in international waters clearly. We have it documented."  "The president may not intend to go to war here, but we're worried that he and the administration may bumble into a war," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said after attending a White House briefing about the incident.  According to late breaking reporting from the New York Times, unconfirmed by NBC News at the time this newsletter sent, [President Trump approved retaliatory military strikes against Iran, but pulled back from launching them](. Military and diplomatic officials were expecting a strike as late at 7 p.m. Thursday night, multiple senior administration officials involved in or briefed on the deliberations told the Times. White House and Pentagon officials declined to comment, but no government officials asked the paper to withhold the article.  "The operation was underway in its early stages when it was called off," The Times wrote. "Planes were in the air and ships were in position, but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down." Joe Biden is [refusing to apologize](following backlash he received from his fellow candidates, including Senator Cory Booker, for praising the work of segregationist Senators James Eastland and Herman Talmadge on Tuesday.  The former VP expressed fond memories of his ‘civil’ working relationships with the Senators who strongly opposed desegregation, but didn’t feel the need to apologize because “there’s not a racist bone in [his body].” Instead, Biden called on Booker to apologize to him.  Today, [Biden phoned Booker]( to discuss the matter after Booker appeared on CNN Wednesday night to publicly scold Biden for his remarks. Neither candidate offered apologies to each other during the call, and Biden is reportedly standing by his initial remarks.  Tonight on MSNBC, S[enator Booker spoke to Lawrence O’Donnell]( to discuss the call.  “I’m glad we had a good, constructive conversation last night,” Booker said. “At the end of the day, this is not about me, this is not about him, it’s about where our country is and we have real race issues in our country, and we need leaders, plural, presidential candidates or not, that can bring folks together, can deepen understanding and empathy, and can get us to a point where we can begin to work on a lot of the issues that have deep, scarred legacies in our country.”  Booker was quick to note that he has "respect," "love," and "gratitude" for Biden, but again called on him to apologize to the American people and to openly discuss racial issues like this with voters. In Case You Missed It: Videos from MSNBC Today [Image]( [Ta-Nehisi Coates on the case for reparations]( The author who helped kickstart the debate -- and who faced down skeptical House Republicans -- on what the nation owes its black citizens. (All In)  [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Image](  [Trump aide won’t say if she lied to Bob Mueller]( The House Judiciary Committee released the testimony of former Trump aide Hope Hicks, revealing she would not answer whether she told the truth to Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Chairman Nadler claimed she failed to answer 155 questions, but Hicks did admit not reading the Mueller report, adding: “I lived the Mueller report.” (The Beat) [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Image](  [Government says doesn’t owe detained children soap, toothbrushes]( The U.S. government is arguing in court that it doesn't need to provide soap or toothbrushes to detained migrant children. (All In) [Facebook]( [Twitter]( More Videos [Â]( - [As Warren makes gains, a 2020 top tier forms]([(Morning Joe)]( - [Hicks transcript provides window on 2016 dual Trump tape crises (Rachel Maddow)]( - [Hope Hicks refused to answer 155 questions during House testimony (Hardball)](  - [Trump is finally getting his big parade (All In)](  - [Lawrence's Last Word: America's history of concentration camps (The Last Word)](  - [ Trump claims Latino supporters want him to go ahead with mass deportations (Craig Melvin)](  - [Trump’s immigration policy: ‘A cruel lie to score political points’ (Deadline: White House)](  - [Tim Ryan makes yoga a campaign priority (Morning Joe)](  - [Pence NSA kept Butina tie secret at Senate confirmation: WaPo (Rachel Maddow)]( - [Trump aide claims Mexico funding a “virtual wall” at 2020 launch (The Beat)]( [Â]( - [#GoodNewsRUHLES: Paralyzed teen walks at graduation ceremony (Stephanie Ruhle)](  - [Sen. Hirono on suitable picks for Defense Secretary (Hallie Jackson)](  - [Rep. Castro: Trump WH perhaps bending intel to provoke Iran (Morning Joe)]( [Latest from NBC News]( Quote of the Day [“You work in a Capitol that was built by enslaved people. You are there enjoying the benefits of their labor.”Â]( — Ta-Nehisi Coates responds to comments by Sens. McConnell and Graham on reparations ([Video]() NBC News Think [OPINION.]( The Trump administration denies abortions to migrant girls using the same tactics as state legislatures. Women across Central America are fleeing oppression, poverty, sexual assault and mass violence, but right now, many find even more oppression when they cross the U.S. border — deprived of due process of law and the basic right to health care and humane treatment. By [Michelle Chen](  [OPINION.]( How reparations for American descendants of slavery could narrow the racial wealth divide. The cumulative damages inflicted on black Americans who were enslaved and their descendants of course include slavery, but they also encompass almost 100 years of Jim Crow legal segregation and persistent racism in the post-Civil Rights era continuing to the present. By [William Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen]( What To Watch Felix Sater, a real estate developer who helped Donald Trump secretly pursue the Moscow Trump Tower project, will testify in a closed-door hearing before the House Intelligence Committee Friday. This weekend: South Carolina Democrats will hold their annual convention where 2020 candidates are slated to speak. MSNBC will be there and bring you live coverage. This newsletter was prepped for you by Cameron Taylor Oakes, Bridget Brown, Stephanie Haberman and Sam Go.  Tell us what you think of the news and features and [drop us an e-mail](mailto:msnbc.digital.editors@nbcuni.com).  Have you read the [Mueller report](? Here's [a link](.  Were you forwarded this email from a friend?  [Subscribe here](. The latest episode of The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg features Pat Fitzgerald. Listen on [Apple Podcasts](.  Follow MSNBC [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [LinkedIn]( Download the NBC News Mobile App and watch MSNBC [Image] [Image] [Privacy]( [Unsubscribe](listvar=sub_daily)