Press Secretary Responds to Trump’s Threats Against Iran
During a press conference on Monday, Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt addressed President Donald Trump’s recent threats towards Iran. This came after NBC White House correspondent Garrett Haak inquired about the possibility of “war crimes” being discussed.
Earlier that day, Trump shared a post on Truth Social, warning that if the Strait of Hormuz wasn’t reopened quickly, the U.S. would completely eliminate various Iranian targets. Haak raised concerns about whether this hinted at potential attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Haak noted, “The president’s post today mentions the threat to ‘blow up and completely destroy the power plants, oil wells, hard islands, and possibly all desalination plants’ as he departs from Iran.”
Under international law, such assaults on civilian infrastructure are usually deemed unacceptable. Haak pressed, “Why is the president expressing threats that could lead to war crimes, especially given the administration’s previous claims that the U.S. does not target civilians?”
Leavitt quickly responded, stating, “The president clearly indicated to the Iranian regime that their best chance now is to negotiate a deal. Otherwise, the U.S. military possesses capabilities they can’t even imagine, and the president isn’t reluctant to use them.”
When asked again if this referred to “possible war crimes,” Leavitt responded, “That’s not what I implied.” She explained, “There’s a reason ‘potential’ is mentioned; experts may have nudged that concern your way. Naturally, this administration and the U.S. military will always operate within the legal framework.”
Leavitt also added, “Regarding Operation Epic Fury, President Trump plans to proceed without hesitation and anticipates an agreement with the Iranian regime.”
Haak attempted to pose another question, which Leavitt chose to ignore.
In a later social media post, Trump remarked that the U.S. and the Iranian government were engaged in “serious discussions” aiming to end the conflict in Iran, mentioning “significant progress” being made that day.
Trump further stated, “If, for some reason, no agreement materializes soon—and it likely will—and the Strait of Hormuz remains ‘not open for business,’ then we’ll conclude our ‘sojourn’ in Iran by destroying all power plants, oil wells, and Kharg, including all desalination plants! This would serve as retribution for the many soldiers and civilians that Iran has killed during the former regime’s nearly half-century “reign of terror.” Thank you for your focus on this important issue,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
