Kerry Condemns Trump's 'Christian' Threats to Destroy Iran as War Crime

Former Secretary of State says language is 'utterly stunning' for a U.S. president to use.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 4:22am

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of an empty, shadowy government office or conference room, with a single American flag hanging limply in the corner. The room is bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, creating a somber, pensive mood.The former Secretary of State's rebuke of the current administration's bellicose rhetoric towards Iran underscores the growing moral and diplomatic crisis in U.S. foreign policy.Washington Today

Former Secretary of State John Kerry strongly condemned President Donald Trump's recent threats to destroy Iran, calling the language 'utterly stunning' for a U.S. president, especially one who claims to be Christian. Kerry said threatening to 'kill a civilization' goes against international norms and standards, and would constitute a war crime.

Why it matters

The comments from the former top U.S. diplomat highlight the growing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as well as concerns over the inflammatory rhetoric being used by the current administration. Kerry's rebuke also raises questions about the role of religion and morality in foreign policy decision-making.

The details

In an interview on MS NOW's 'The Briefing', Kerry responded to Trump's Easter Sunday comments where the president threatened that 'a whole civilization will die tonight' in reference to Iran. Kerry said he was 'shocked' by the language, which he described as a potential 'prelude' to 'one of the greatest war crimes in history.' The former Secretary of State argued that threatening to 'kill a civilization' goes against international laws and norms.

  • On Easter Sunday, President Trump made the controversial remarks about destroying Iran.
  • Kerry's interview condemning the comments took place on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

The players

John Kerry

Former U.S. Secretary of State under President Obama, who is now criticizing the current administration's rhetoric towards Iran.

Donald Trump

The current President of the United States, who made the controversial threats to destroy Iran that Kerry is condemning.

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What they’re saying

“I was shocked, as I've been, by anything that I've seen or read by this administration and the first administration, and now in the second, for a Christian so called to step up on Easter Sunday and use language like that which kids are going to hear, and people all around the world will see as a reflection of our presidency it's just utterly stunning.”

— John Kerry, Former U.S. Secretary of State

“And to be talking about, you know, we're the city that hosts the Holocaust Museum. We're that place that, you know, worked so hard to liberate Europe or free Europe from fascism and so many other contributions we've made around the world. And you step up and not only use language like that, but say a whole civilization is going to die that sounds to me like it's the prelude, to, the coming one of the greatest war criminals in history.”

— John Kerry, Former U.S. Secretary of State

What’s next

The Biden administration will likely have to address the fallout from Trump's inflammatory rhetoric towards Iran, including potential diplomatic and military escalations.

The takeaway

Kerry's strong condemnation of Trump's 'Christian' threats to destroy Iran as a potential war crime highlights the divisive and dangerous nature of the current administration's foreign policy approach, which appears to be increasingly at odds with international norms and the United States' traditional role as a global leader.