‘Pre-admission of genocide’: Politicos blast Trump over threat to destroy ‘a whole civilisation’ in iran

US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” as Iran showed no sign of accepting his ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump had initially vowed to carry out the “complete demolition” of Iran’s critical infrastructure, particularly bridges and power plants, only if a deal was not reached.

But writing on Truth Social, Trump elevated his ultimatum for Iran, stating that “a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will”, if the country does not heed his call for a deal.

It was not clear exactly what he meant or by what means he intended to carry out the threat.

His remarks drew a strong reaction from politicos, with several calling for him be removed from office by invoking the 25th amendment, which allows for the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare a president unfit for office.

Democratic Leader in the US Senate Chuck Schumer assailed Trump’s threats, branding him “an extremely sick person” in a post on X.

“Each Republican who refuses to join us in voting against this wanton war of choice owns every consequence of whatever the hell this is,” he added.

Democratic leader in the US House of Representatives Hakeem Jeffries said, “Congress must immediately end this reckless war of choice in Iran before Donald Trump plunges us into World War III.

“It’s time for every single Republican to put patriotic duty over party and stop the madness. Enough,” he said.

Labelling Trump “the war criminal in the White House” and a “maniac”, US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib demanded that the 25th Amendment be invoked to remove him from office.

“After bombing a school and massacring young girls, the war criminal in the White House is threatening genocide,” she has said on X.

“It’s time to invoke the 25th Amendment. This maniac should be removed from office.”

Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has also called for invoking the 25th Amendment, calling Trump’s threat “evil and madness”.

“Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilisation,” the ex-lawmaker, once a fierce ally of Trump, said on X.

Former US counterterrorism chief Joe Kent, who had quit over the war on Iran, warned that America “now stands in danger” due to Trump’s threats.

“If he attempts to eradicate Iranian civilisation, the US will no longer be viewed as a stabilising force in the world, but as an agent of chaos — effectively ending our status as the world’s greatest superpower,” he said.

Kent further warned that acting on the threat would “upend our economy and shatter the global order”, noting that the process was already under way.

“We still have time to avert catastrophe if Trump finds the courage to pursue serious negotiations rather than reckless rage and destruction,” he added.

Journalist Piers Morgan has called Trump’s threat “a brazen pre-admission of genocide against the Iranian people”, noting that it would “obviously be a war crime”.

Journalist Aaron Rupar said “waiting around today to see what atrocity Trump has in mind for the people of Iran” has left him “sick to his stomach”.

“It’s hard to fathom that our other elected leaders aren’t able to check him in any meaningful way,” Rupar said, calling it “an indictment not just of the electorate but of our whole system of government”.

Additional input from AFP, Reuters