President Donald Trump did not take kindly to being asked whether he believed bombing civilian power plants and bridges would constitute war crimes after he threatened to do just that in Iran.
The president, 80, was taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office when he was asked about his threat this week on Truth Social.
âYouâre talking about blowing up civilian power plants and bridges. Much of the civilized world would consider that a war crime. Do you?â the reporter asked Trump point blank.
The president paused for a moment before deciding it was probably best not to answer the question at all, which had clearly annoyed him.
âUhhh, I wonât respond to that question,â Trump said before demanding to know which outlet the reporter worked for.
âThe New York Times,â the reporter responded.
âI figured so; the failing New York Times,â Trump said before turning away.
Trump fired off a new threat to bomb key infrastructure in Iran on Wednesday as his frustration over the ongoing conflict escalated with no end in sight.
âFrom this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran,â Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Targeting infrastructure used largely by civilians is considered a war crime under international law, which specifies there is a difference between targeting military objects and civilian ones.
It comes as the U.S. has carried out 13 straight nights of strikes against Iran through Thursday. CENTCOM said the military action was to âfurther diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.â
Trump was asked about the exit strategy for his Iran war on Friday, but the president gave a rambling response that will do little to satisfy those wanting the U.S. to disentangle itself from the foreign war Trump entered into nearly five months ago. He warned the situation could escalate.
âThereâs a military exit where we just keep going just the way we are, and we can even make it a heavier dose, and itâs knocking out everything they have,â Trump threatened.
But the president said the âsmarter strategyâ would be to make a deal while insisting, as he has done for weeks, that Iran wants to make a deal.
âI just donât think theyâre ready yet,â Trump claimed. âBut they do want to make a deal.â
The president claimed the U.S. was currently negotiating with Iran even as the hostilities continue, but he has been insisting talks were happening for months, including announcing a memorandum of understanding to continue negotiations just last month before the effort completely fell apart.
