Third, the claim that Clinton quietly approved the second Loral launch in February 1998.
The article claimed that Bill Clinton approved the 2nd Loral launch on February 3rd, 1998. 
mnli hypothesis: The article claimed that Bill Clinton approved the 2nd Loral launch on February 3rd, 1998.  premise: Third, the claim that Clinton quietly approved the second Loral launch in February 1998.