Concerns about Donald Trump’s threat to Iran are emerging within the Republican Party, while democrat Demand that he be removed from office. Trump warned that he would destroy Iran if it failed to meet U.S. demands, a move that drew global criticism. But officials insisted the comments were just a negotiating tactic.
“Entire civilization will die tonight and never be resurrected again,” Trump wrote in a social media post ahead of the deadline. “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.” He later announced a two-week ceasefire.
Republicans fight back
Some Republicans have publicly distanced themselves from the comments. Sen. Ron Johnson, a close Trump ally, said on the John Solomon Report podcast that he hoped the comments were a “bluff.”
“I don’t want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure… We are not at war with the Iranian people,” Johnson said, according to ABC News.
Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, also rejected the idea of targeting a country on such a scale, writing that he did not support “the destruction of ‘entire civilization,'” adding, “That’s not who we are.”
Also read: White House rules out Iran acquiring nuclear weapons amid uncertainty over peace talks
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski criticized the rhetoric as “an affront to our national ideals” and warned it could endanger Americans at home and abroad, ABC News reported.
former republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene “We can’t wipe out an entire civilization. That’s evil and madness,” he said, while also raising the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment.
Democrats further call for action
Democrats criticized the move and renewed calls for impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned, “We can’t risk the world … we’re playing on the edge,” while Senator Chuck Schumer called Trump a “terribly sick man” for his comments, ABC News reported.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged Republicans to take action, saying Congress must “stop the madness” and prevent further escalation.
International criticism is also mounting. Reuters reported that Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations described Trump’s threats as “grossly irresponsible” and “extremely shocking,” while Pope Leo called the remarks “unacceptable.”
Also read: Khamenei said that even if the Iranian military ordered to stop firing, “the war is not over”
Inside the White House: ‘Creating Impact’
Despite the backlash, White House officials defended Trump’s approach. Reuters reported that aides viewed the remarks as a ploy to force concessions from Iran.
“He creates leverage through unpredictability… and he wants Tehran to blink,” one official said, according to Reuters. Another official acknowledged some internal unease but said the language was part of a broader negotiating effort.
Trump demands Iran reopen Strait of Hormuz It warned that if rules were not followed, infrastructure such as bridges and power plants could be struck. When asked whether targeting such sites would violate international law, Trump said: “No, no, I wouldn’t,” ABC News reported.
