Trump threatened Iranian cultural sites; his defense secretary publicly drew the legal line
Reporting and findings
- documented
Defense Secretary Mark Esper responded that U.S. forces would follow the law of armed conflict governing cultural sites.
Corrects claim:esper-cultural-sites-law- U.S. Department of Defense: U.S. Continues to Deploy, Reposition Troops in Middle East, Esper SaysEsper remarks on law of armed conflict and cultural sites
- documented
Trump publicly threatened 52 Iranian targets, including some he described as important to Iranian culture, after Iran warned of retaliation for the killing of Qasem Soleimani.
Corrects claim:iran-cultural-sites-threat- U.S. Government Publishing Office: U.S.-Iran Tensions: Implications for Homeland Security, hearing before the House Committee on Homeland SecurityHearing record reproducing the January 4 threat and discussing cultural-property law
Summary and current status
Trump threatened 52 Iranian targets, including sites he described as important to Iranian culture. Defense Secretary Mark Esper then said U.S. forces would follow the law of armed conflict governing cultural sites.
Trump issued the threat January 4, 2020; Esper stated the law-of-armed-conflict position January 6
People and organizations
- Iranian cultural sites threatened in January 2020potential targets named in the threat
- Donald J. Trumpspeaker threatening strikes
Relationships in this file
- Donald J. Trumpthreatened to strikeIranian cultural sites threatened in January 2020