The Assassination of Soleimani: What You Need to Know

Except….the congress has authorized the Executive in the use of deadly force against a perceived (terrorist) enemy. The AUMF. The talk of the Bethlehem Doctrine is irrelevant….also, the illegality claim is also irrelevant, Trump, as per the AUMF, was totally within the confines of US law legality when he offed the general…..

and Harold Koh) itself has stated that “[i]n response to the attacks perpetrated – and the continuing threat posed – by al Qaeda, the Taliban, and associated forces, Congress has authorized the President to use all necessary and appropriate force against those groups,” thus emphasizing the AUMF as a primary basis for its targeting authority. In addition, Holder asserted, “[t]he Constitution [itself] empowers the President to protect the nation from any imminent threat of violent attack.” Thus, en toto, the USG has asserted several bases of authority for its targeted killing program, namely (according to a leaked DOJ White Paper), “[the President’s] constitutional responsibility to protect the country, the inherent right of the United States to national self defense under international law, Congress’s authorization of the use of all necessary and appropriate military force against [al-Qa’ida and associated forces], and the existence of an armed conflict with al-Qa’ida under international law.”
https://www.lawfareblog.com/legality-us-governments-targeted-killing-program-under-domestic-law