WATCH Reporters Nail Kellyanne Conway Over Trump ‘Cultural Sites’ Threat: Does Trump ‘Believe That War Crimes Are a Thing?’

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway faced a barrage of questions about President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Iranian cultural sites, which culminated with one reporter stumping her by asking if Trump “believes that war crimes are a thing?”

Over the weekend, Trump tweeted a threat to strike Iranian cultural sites if Iran retaliates against the U.S. over the killing of Qasem Soleimani, which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo then falsely claimed Trump didn’t do, after which Trump reiterated the threat to reporters aboard Air Force One.

On Monday, Conway gaggled with reporters in the dusty Brady Briefing Room, and took four swings at cleaning up the mess.

“Is the President willing to violate international law by striking Iranian cultural sites, which he has now said twice that he might be willing to do?” Conway was asked at the very start of the gaggle.

“So Secretary Pompeo said yesterday that we will be within the law, and I think that Iran has many military, strategic military sites that you may cite are also cultural sites,” Conway replied, then shifted to criticizing former President Jimmy Carter, then concluding by saying, in the past tense, that Trump “has been lawful and constitutional and strategic in what he has done, and he’ll continue to.”

But minutes later, Breakfast Media correspondent Andrew Feinberg challenged Conway’s premise that Trump was referring to military/cultural combo sites, asking “are you saying that Iran is camouflaging or concealing military targets within cultural sites?”

“No I wouldn’t say that, no I wouldn’t say that. ” Conway said, interrupting Feinberg,  and as he continued questioning her, added, “I mean, maybe.”

“Would the president order American troops, are you aware that would violate the US Defense Department’s Law of War manual and the War Crimes Act?” Feinberg asked as Conway spoke over him.

“Are you aware that Secretary of State yesterday said that we will be under the law?” Conway said.

“Yes, and then the president got on Air Force One and told reporters that he thinks that the US should be able to attack Iranian cultural sites, which is a war crime according to the 1949 Geneva Convention because others use roadside bombs and kill our people,” Feinberg said, then added, “So what the secretary of state may have said before that, the president immediately contradicted.”

“So you want to talk about hypotheticals that may happen?” Conway said. “You don’t want to talk about the fact that Soleimani is gone?”

“I’m talking about what the president of the United States said yesterday and the day before on Twitter,” Feinberg said.

“I would refer you to his remarks, and I hope that you’re happy that Soleimani is gone,” Conway said.

“Kellyanne, he is pardoning soldiers who have been accused and convicted of war crimes,” Feinberg said, and asked “Does the president believe that war crimes are a thing? Or does he just…”

“I don’t even know how to answer a question like that,” Conway said, to which Feinberg shot back “Well maybe you should ask him.”

Another reporter pressed Conway, and she deflected by asking “Are you speaking about hypotheticals or are you…” and said “I gotta deal in reality today. Because it was a big deal.”

“I’m asking you, is he thinks be thinking about it,” the reporter said, as Conway interrupted again by asking “Are you engaging in hypotheticals?”

“No she’s asking about something the president of the United States said on the record,” Feinberg interjected.

“Is he speaking about hypotheticals, or are you actually targeting sites, which would be illegal, which is exactly what Secretary of State pompeo just said?” Conway was asked.

“He’s identified sites,” Conway said.

Later on in the gaggle, Conway decided to return to the subject on her own, saying “Can I just clarify, to to all the questions being asked, the president has identified those sites and has said that it may happen if Iran retaliates in a certain way.”

“So you have to read, you have the president on the record, read the entire thing,” she added.

“But that would still violate international law if they are cultural sites,” to which Conway replied “If, if, if. I’m telling you. Get it.”

Watch the clips above via C-Span.