Conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who once wrote a book praising Donald Trump, is now accusing him of committing war crimes in Iran. This comes after Trump made a series of bloodthirsty threats against the country, with legal experts saying they may break international law. On Easter Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social, threatening to bomb Iran “back to the stone age” and naming civilian targets. He wrote, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F—in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell, JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” He followed it up with another post: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” I really wish "legal experts" hadn't screamed bloody murder about every little thing Trump did, so they could speak with authority now that he's actually committing war crimes.— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 5, 2026 Legal experts responded quickly. Stephen J. Rapp, who served as the U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues from 2009 to 2015, said that attacking desalination plants, which supply clean water to millions across the Middle East, “would definitely be a war crime. Not much question about that.” Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, added that “even attacks on power plants are war crimes” because the harm to civilians far outweighs any military benefit. Targeting civilian infrastructure puts the U.S. on the wrong side of international law International Humanitarian Law is clear: “civilian objects shall not be the object of attack or of reprisals,” and “attacks shall be limited strictly to military objectives.” A legitimate military target must make a real contribution to military action, and its destruction must offer a clear military advantage. Power grids and water sources that mainly serve civilians do not meet that standard. Over 100 international law experts have already signed an open letter expressing “profound concern” about what they describe as serious violations of international law by the U.S., Israel, and Iran. They argue that the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran broke the United Nations Charter, which only allows the use of force in self-defense or with UN Security Council approval. The letter also flagged a statement by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said “no quarter” should be given to enemies, meaning no one, including those who surrender or are wounded, should be spared. This is “especially forbidden” under international law and is even prohibited in the Department of Defense’s own law of war manual. Terrifying reality check. Al Jazeera confirms the US and Israel have bombed over 760 schools and 350 health centers in Iran. They are intentionally obliterating mental health hospitals and residential markets. The scale of these war crimes is absolutely sickening. pic.twitter.com/VCVXhYHnaM— Furkan Gözükara (@FurkanGozukara) April 4, 2026 Signatories include Jonathan Tracy, a former U.S. Army judge advocate; Harold Hongju Koh, a former legal adviser at the U.S. State Department; and Oona A. Hathaway, a professor of international law at Yale and president-elect of the American Society of International Law. Trump’s approach to the conflict has also strained relationships with key allies who chose not to join the Iran war, further isolating the U.S. on the world stage. The human cost is already severe. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that 1,606 civilians, including at least 244 children, have been killed in Iran since the conflict began. Lebanon’s health ministry says 1,345 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since March 2. Missile attacks on Israel from Iran and Lebanon have killed 19 civilians, and in Gulf states targeted by Iran, at least 24 people have died, including 12 in the UAE, seven in Kuwait, two each in Oman and Saudi Arabia, and one in Bahrain. One of the most disturbing incidents mentioned in the experts’ letter is the strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, southern Iran, on the first day of the war. At least 168 people were killed, including 110 children. Evidence suggests it may have been a U.S. strike, and the Department of Defense is currently investigating. Breaking news: A new type of U.S. missile appears to have been used in a February strike that hit a sports center and a school in Iran. https://t.co/kbpP2bFRMF— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 30, 2026 The letter says the strike “likely violates international humanitarian law, and if evidence is found that those responsible were reckless, it could also be a war crime.” Tom Fletcher, the UN’s humanitarian chief, said international law has been “thrown aside,” calling the ongoing war “reckless.” Coulter, who wrote the 2016 book In Trump We Trust: E Pluribus Awesome! in support of Trump, has been increasingly critical of him in recent years. Analysts have also pointed out that while Trump’s Iran bombings were meant to weaken the country, they may have had unintended consequences that worked in Iran’s favor. In 2025, Coulter questioned his deportation policies, and a year before that called him an “awful person” while still saying she would vote for him. The White House, meanwhile, has dismissed critics as “so-called experts,” insisting that Trump is making the region safer.