Karoline Leavitt was challenged about Donald Trump’s wannabe war crimes and her ‘response’ didn’t speak volumes, it bellowed them

It’s not so long ago that almost the entire White House press corps were infuriatingly reluctant to push back against Trump, but these days it’s getting more common, if not exactly common.

And they don’t come much better than this, after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was challenged about Donald Trump’s threat to blow up desalination plants as part of his war on Iran which would basically be a war crime because it is targeting civilians.

It’s NBC News White House correspondent Garrett Haake asking the questions and Leavitt’s response, such as it was, didn’t just speak volumes, it bellowed them.

Reporter: The president said we might blow up and completely obliterate all of their generating electric plants, oil wells, Kharg island, and possibly all desalination plants. Under international law, striking infrastructure is generally prohibited. Why is the president… pic.twitter.com/TOR8rvFXM5

— Acyn (@Acyn) March 30, 2026

Haake: The president said we might blow up and completely obliterate all of their generating electric plants, oil wells, Kharg island, and possibly all desalination plants. Under international law, striking infrastructure is generally prohibited. Why is the president advocating potentially a war crime and how do you square that with the US aying it does not target civilians?

Leavitt: Their best move is to make a deal or else the united States armed forces has capabilities beyond their wildest imagination

Haake: Including potential war crimes?

Leavitt: With respect to achieving the full objectives, the president is going to move forward…

Haake: Which of those objectives would destroying a desalination plant most help?

Leavitt: Haley, go ahead …

And these people surely said it best.

1.

No one should expect a President who doesn’t care about America’s laws to follow international law. https://t.co/080lCSMFQJ

— Jessica Tarlov (@JessicaTarlov) March 30, 2026

2.

A 28-year-old Florida sorority girl is at the White House podium justifying the destruction of desalination plants in a country the United States attacked without provocation in the middle of negotiations. This is not a serious country.

— Ambrose Pike (@ambrose_pike) March 30, 2026

3.

Great work from this reporter https://t.co/ZC2VIkMi9E

— Liam Nissan™ (@theliamnissan) March 30, 2026

4.

Need to keep asking follow up questions. One reporter after another. We cannot let them wiggle their way out of the atrocities they are committing.

— sotomayorman (@SotomayorJames) March 30, 2026

5.

Nothing to see here — just the official mouthpiece for the president of the United States defending potential war crimes. https://t.co/lhZ7buCvcg

— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) March 30, 2026

6.

His whole war is breaking international law.

— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) March 30, 2026