President Rashad's Assassination was apart of Olivia Pope's plan to protect President Mellie Grant and her presidential reputation.
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As Command of B613 and the White House Chief of Staff, Olivia Pope had President Farid Rashad's private jet blown up; killing both Farid and his niece, Yasmeen. This happened because Pope found out that Farid and Mellie were sleeping together. In Olivia's eyes, she was protecting her President (and boss at the time) but Mellie said she went too far. Rashad had put Yasmeen in the U.S. to protect her, and she was travelling back with her uncle.