Overview
- Trump warned on Tuesday on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept terms tied to a ceasefire.
- A conditional two‑week pause was then announced on Tuesday between the U.S. and Iran, with reports that Iran would temporarily reopen the strait in exchange for a halt to U.S. and Israeli strikes, though violations remain a concern.
- Speaking to roughly 3,000 students in Cuneo on Wednesday, George Clooney said threatening to “end a civilization” constitutes a war crime and urged a basic line of decency in political debate.
- The White House response came Wednesday from Communications Director Steven Cheung on X, who said the only person committing war crimes was Clooney for his “awful movies and terrible acting ability.”
- Clooney later issued a statement citing the Genocide Convention and Rome Statute to define intent to destroy a nation as a war crime, warned about U.S. talk of leaving NATO, and drew attention to the human and economic stakes tied to the Strait of Hormuz, which moves about a fifth of global oil and gas, while right‑leaning outlets stressed the reply’s humor and left‑leaning outlets emphasized the legal critique.