President Donald Trump reaffirmed his threat to attack Iranian cultural sites as he spoke to reporters during his return flight from Florida to Washington D.C.
Ever since the Iranian government started speaking of retaliatory action following the deadly airstrike against Qasem Soleimani, Trump has repeatedly threatened to use escalating force against Iran and target dozens of cultural sites. As Trump spoke to the White House press pool on Air Force One, he dismissed Iran’s possible attempts for retribution, and he again argued in favor of destroying Iran’s cultural sites because the country has already committed crimes against America.
“They’re allowed to kill our people, they’re allowed to torture and maim our people, they’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people, and we’re not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn’t work that way.”
Critics of Trump’s handling of the Iran situation argue that the president should have notified Congress before authorizing the Soleimani airstrike, due to the possibility that this could lead to another conflict in the Middle East. The president’s opponents have also noted that destroying cultural sites with military action might endanger innocent civilians and is considered a war crime under international laws.
Watch above, via CNN