Why do ‘war crimes’ accusations never apply to Iran?

Published April 8, 2026 2:02pm ET



The “war crimes” canard pushed by Democrats and other critics of President Donald Trump ignores a stark reality: If Iran, and others, are not held responsible for war crimes, then the accusation is utterly meaningless.

Democrats have tripped over themselves to accuse Trump of committing war crimes, or planning to commit war crimes, against Iran. As Michael Rubin detailed for the Washington Examiner, this outrage cycle, adopted by Democrats, establishment liberal media, and the so-called “international community,”  is “ignorant, hypocritical, and overblown.”

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