Trump says 'a whole civilization will die tonight' ahead of deadline for Iran

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump issued a severe threat on Truth Social, warning that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran does not agree to a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by the 8 p.m. ET Tuesday deadline, signaling imminent U.S. attacks on Iranian infrastructure.
• Trump claimed "complete and total regime change" in Iran following the deaths of key leaders, suggesting a potential shift in the country's future, but his rhetoric included threats to destroy power plants, bridges, and other infrastructure, raising concerns about targeting civilians.
• Human rights experts, including Kenneth Roth, condemned Trump's threats as potential war crimes involving collective punishment of the Iranian people, violating international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
• Democratic senators and some Republicans, including former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, criticized Trump's statements as unstable and dangerous, with calls for impeachment or invocation of the 25th Amendment to remove him from office.
• The White House declined to clarify the meaning of "whole civilization" in Trump's threat, directing inquiries to his Truth Social post, as the global community watches closely amid escalating tensions over Iran's disruption of a critical shipping route.