There have been many past US administrations that could have taken a shot at him, but didn't, because there is a whole bunch of baggage that comes along with assassination. I included context, Steve, there was no "not admitting to" part of it. He was a hero in his own country and seen as evil be everyone he plotted against. But he did it from a political position embedded within his nation, he wasn't like Bin Laden, et al, who were pariahs everywhere they went. Trump pulled this stunt because the generals who presented a large number of options to address the embassy assault included it as the most extreme option to make the other suggestions sound more reasonable. They were apparently shocked that he chose this one.