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A general view of the destruction at the Sharif University of Technology, targeted by the US and Israel, on April 07, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.
(Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Trump Issues Openly Genocidal Threat to Wipe Out 'Whole Civilization' of Iran
"If any Iranians are killed pursuant to this threat," said one expert, "President Trump will be guilty of genocide, as will those assisting him."
Apr 07, 2026
Just hours ahead of his self-imposed deadline for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to permanently wipe out the "whole civilization" of Iran—remarks seen as a straightforward expression of genocidal intent.
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World."
Brian Finucane, senior adviser to the US Program at the International Crisis Group, responded to Trump's threat by pointing to 18 US Code § 1091, which prohibits American nationals from committing genocide within the United States and abroad.
Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the US-based Center for International Policy, wrote that "this meets the threshold for intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national group as set forth in 18 US Code § 1091 prohibiting the crime of genocide."
"If any Iranians are killed pursuant to this threat," Williams added, "President Trump will be guilty of genocide, as will those assisting him."
One expert, former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth, noted that Trump's genocidal threat is itself unlawful.
"Trump is openly threatening collective punishment, targeting not the Iranian military but the Iranian people," Roth told NBC News, pointing to the Fourth Geneva Convention. "Attacking civilians is a war crime. So is making threats with the aim of terrorizing the civilian population."
"Soldiers must refuse unlawful orders. Members of Congress must call for impeachment and removal."
Trump published his comments as the US unleashed a wave of attacks on Kharg Island, Iran's key oil export hub. The US and Israel also reportedly targeted bridges across Iran overnight as part of a broader assault that has killed thousands of people since late February.
The US president set a deadline of 8 pm ET for Iran to reach a deal that fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has threatened to order the obliteration of Iranian bridges and energy infrastructure if there's no agreement by his arbitrary deadline.
Adil Haque, a professor of law at Rutgers University, wrote Tuesday that the international community must intervene immediately to prevent Trump from launching a catastrophic and criminal assault on a country of more than 90 million people.
"Soldiers must refuse unlawful orders," Haque added. "Members of Congress must call for impeachment and removal. Every American who loves their country must speak out. Enough is enough."
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Just hours ahead of his self-imposed deadline for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to permanently wipe out the "whole civilization" of Iran—remarks seen as a straightforward expression of genocidal intent.
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World."
Brian Finucane, senior adviser to the US Program at the International Crisis Group, responded to Trump's threat by pointing to 18 US Code § 1091, which prohibits American nationals from committing genocide within the United States and abroad.
Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the US-based Center for International Policy, wrote that "this meets the threshold for intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national group as set forth in 18 US Code § 1091 prohibiting the crime of genocide."
"If any Iranians are killed pursuant to this threat," Williams added, "President Trump will be guilty of genocide, as will those assisting him."
One expert, former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth, noted that Trump's genocidal threat is itself unlawful.
"Trump is openly threatening collective punishment, targeting not the Iranian military but the Iranian people," Roth told NBC News, pointing to the Fourth Geneva Convention. "Attacking civilians is a war crime. So is making threats with the aim of terrorizing the civilian population."
"Soldiers must refuse unlawful orders. Members of Congress must call for impeachment and removal."
Trump published his comments as the US unleashed a wave of attacks on Kharg Island, Iran's key oil export hub. The US and Israel also reportedly targeted bridges across Iran overnight as part of a broader assault that has killed thousands of people since late February.
The US president set a deadline of 8 pm ET for Iran to reach a deal that fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has threatened to order the obliteration of Iranian bridges and energy infrastructure if there's no agreement by his arbitrary deadline.
Adil Haque, a professor of law at Rutgers University, wrote Tuesday that the international community must intervene immediately to prevent Trump from launching a catastrophic and criminal assault on a country of more than 90 million people.
"Soldiers must refuse unlawful orders," Haque added. "Members of Congress must call for impeachment and removal. Every American who loves their country must speak out. Enough is enough."
Just hours ahead of his self-imposed deadline for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to permanently wipe out the "whole civilization" of Iran—remarks seen as a straightforward expression of genocidal intent.
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World."
Brian Finucane, senior adviser to the US Program at the International Crisis Group, responded to Trump's threat by pointing to 18 US Code § 1091, which prohibits American nationals from committing genocide within the United States and abroad.
Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the US-based Center for International Policy, wrote that "this meets the threshold for intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national group as set forth in 18 US Code § 1091 prohibiting the crime of genocide."
"If any Iranians are killed pursuant to this threat," Williams added, "President Trump will be guilty of genocide, as will those assisting him."
One expert, former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth, noted that Trump's genocidal threat is itself unlawful.
"Trump is openly threatening collective punishment, targeting not the Iranian military but the Iranian people," Roth told NBC News, pointing to the Fourth Geneva Convention. "Attacking civilians is a war crime. So is making threats with the aim of terrorizing the civilian population."
"Soldiers must refuse unlawful orders. Members of Congress must call for impeachment and removal."
Trump published his comments as the US unleashed a wave of attacks on Kharg Island, Iran's key oil export hub. The US and Israel also reportedly targeted bridges across Iran overnight as part of a broader assault that has killed thousands of people since late February.
The US president set a deadline of 8 pm ET for Iran to reach a deal that fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has threatened to order the obliteration of Iranian bridges and energy infrastructure if there's no agreement by his arbitrary deadline.
Adil Haque, a professor of law at Rutgers University, wrote Tuesday that the international community must intervene immediately to prevent Trump from launching a catastrophic and criminal assault on a country of more than 90 million people.
"Soldiers must refuse unlawful orders," Haque added. "Members of Congress must call for impeachment and removal. Every American who loves their country must speak out. Enough is enough."
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