Was Trump’s threat to end Iran’s civilization a war crime? – POLITICO

In the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat on social media to destroy an entire civilization ahead of a fragile Iran ceasefire, legal experts are questioning whether such incendiary language can amount to a war crime — even if it is never carried out.

Just hours before a Tuesday night deadline tied to U.S. demands on Tehran, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” A ceasefire announced Wednesday between the U.S., Israel and Iran has since paused further strikes, though its durability remains uncertain.

For Stephen Rapp — a former U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues who prosecuted Liberian ex-leader Charles Taylor, who was ultimately convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity — the answer is direct.