[JumpCrisscross]

> he specifically refused to rule out military action

Donald Trump has specifically ruled out a lot of things that he then promptly did. He's also followed through enough that his threats have to be taken seriously. As a result, you get a hodgepodge of half-assed threats, each of which can be plausibly denied until followed through on, at which point you're asked how you didn't see him doing the thing he said he would do.