Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says the U.S. considered intercepting North Korea’s long-range missile that was fired in 2006.

In his recently published memoir, “Known and Unknown,” Rumsfeld described how the North fired its long-range Daepodong-2 missile on July fourth in 2006, or Independence Day in the U.S., while he was head of the Pentagon.

Rumsfeld said that at the time, President George W. Bush delegated him the authority to issue an order to intercept the missile.

Shortly after the missile was fired, Rumsfeld said that military commanders who run missile interception operations had requested that Rumsfeld issue an order. He said that he had considered issuing an intercept order.