Trump team’s Iran war rhetoric fuels backlash

Critics say the administration reveling in the destructive power of the military has been jarring. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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WASHINGTON - When the top US general spoke on March 10 of his “respect” for Iranian fighters, the remark underscored a striking divide between the restrained language of the military brass and the swaggering rhetoric used by President Donald Trump and his administration.

From Mr Trump joking that it was “more fun” to sink Iranian warships than capture them, to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boasting that US forces were “punching them while they’re down”, critics say the administration’s messaging – reveling in the destructive power of the US military – has been jarring.

Professor Rachel VanLandingham, a retired Air Force judge advocate who teaches the law of war, said the tone amounted to a “crass trivialisation” of combat operations that suggested a “bloodthirsty” administration that “revels in the carnage”.

“This type of dangerous language is unusual for modern American leadership, and it demonstrates an extremely cavalier attitude toward the death and destruction that war entails,” she told AFP.

The rhetoric has also been amplified online, where official accounts circulate slick videos celebrating US strikes, blending real combat footage with imagery drawn from Hollywood films and video games.