Blanche says DOJ providing counsel on legality of Iran strikes

## Summary
Administration Blanche says DOJ providing counsel on legality of Iran strikes Comments: by Ashleigh Fields - 04/07/26 4:13 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Ashleigh Fields - 04/07/26 4:13 PM ET Comments: Link copied NOW PLAYING Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been providing legal counsel to the Trump administration on possible strikes on Iran. “The Department of Justice as it always does, supports the Department of War, the White House, Department of State to the extent that’s involved, and our intelligence communities to the extent that that’s something that’s appropriate,” Blanche said during a Tuesday press conference . “And we provide counsel to them, and we have been doing that, as you would expect,” he added. His statement comes as lawmakers, legal experts and members of the international community say President Trump’s threats to heavily strike infrastructure in Iran constitute a war crime. Melanie Stansbury Todd Blanche Trump administration U.S. strikes on Iran Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. Comments: Link copied More Administration News See All Administration Harris: ‘American people do not support’ Trump ‘threatening to commit war crimes’ by Sarah Davis 32 minutes ago Administration / 32 minutes ago International Kuwait tells citizens to stay home as Trump’s Iran deadline looms by Max Rego 39 minutes ago International / 39 minutes ago Defense Top Armed Forces Democrat: Trump has ‘become as fanatical as the regime leaders in Tehran’ by Tara Suter 47 minutes ago Defense / 47 minutes ago Health Care RFK Jr. moves to broaden CDC vaccine panel eligibility after federal judge found new members unqualified by Joseph Choi 51 minutes ago Health Care / 51 minutes ago See All Video/Hill.TV See all Hill.TV See all Video THE HILL TV Rising: April 7, 2026 by TheHill.com 04/07/26 12:25 PM ET THE HILL TV / 4 hours ago THE HILL TV Rising: April 6, 2026 by TheHill.com 1 day ago THE HILL TV / 1 day ago THE HILL TV Rising: April 3, 2026 by TheHill.com 4 days ago THE HILL TV / 4 days ago See all Hill.TV See all Video Top Stories See All International China, Russia sink UN vote on Strait of Hormuz; 10 countries join US in support by Sophie Brams 2 hours ago International / 2 hours ago See All Most Popular China, Russia sink UN vote on Strait of Hormuz; 10 countries join US in support Spanberger drop in approval rating ‘stunning’: Sabato Democrats call for Trump’s removal over threat against Iran Trump’s gone too far: Invoke the 25th Amendment before it’s too late Graham: Iran will suffer 'massive military attack' Tuesday night without ...

## Article Content
Administration
Blanche says DOJ providing counsel on legality of Iran strikes
Comments:
by
Ashleigh Fields
- 04/07/26 4:13 PM ET
Comments:
Link copied
by
Ashleigh Fields
- 04/07/26 4:13 PM ET
Comments:
Link copied
NOW PLAYING
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been providing legal counsel to the Trump administration on possible strikes on Iran.
“The Department of Justice as it always does, supports the Department of War, the White House, Department of State to the extent that’s involved, and our intelligence communities to the extent that that’s something that’s appropriate,” Blanche said during a
Tuesday press conference
.
“And we provide counsel to them, and we have been doing that, as you would expect,” he added.
His statement comes as lawmakers, legal experts and members of the international community say President Trump’s threats to heavily strike infrastructure in Iran constitute a war crime.
The president said a “whole civilization” will die tonight unless leaders in Tehran reopen the critical shipping choke point through the Strait of Hormuz, with backing from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The United Nations issued a
Tuesday reminder
about the limits of war under the Geneva Conventions while more than
100 international law experts
in the U.S. recently signed an
open letter
decrying U.S. strikes on Iranian schools, health facilities and homes.
Democrats have
urged their counterparts
to deem Trump unfit to serve, invoking the involuntary transfer of power under the 25th Amendment.
“These aren’t policy differences. He is threatening crimes,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.)
said in a post
on social media. “It’s time to invoke the 25th. But we can’t do it alone—we need our Republican colleagues to do the right thing, for this country and for the world.”
Amid criticism, Trump has
brushed off
questions about the legality of Tuesday’s threatened strikes.
While the U.S. holds one of the five permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council, it is
not a member
of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and has not ratified the Rome Statute, meaning it is not bound by the court’s jurisdiction over war crimes.
The U.S. originally signed the Rome Statute in 2000, but the Senate failed to ratify it.
President George W. Bush authorized then-Under Secretary of State John Bolton to “unsign” it, citing a significant threat to sovereignty and constitutional protections, according to
White House
archives.
The first Trump administration touted Israel for pointing out the ICC’s “flawed approach” as constraining liberal, democratic nations in exercising their right of self-defense.
Although Israel is not an ICC member, it has been the focus of an active ICC investigation regarding alleged crimes in Gaza and the West Bank given Palestine’s membership in the court.
More than 70 nations, representing two-thirds of the world’s population and more than 70 percent of the world’s armed forces, are not parties to the Rome Statute. Iran is not an ICC member.
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Bush authorized then-Under Secretary of State John Bolton to “unsign” it, citing a significant threat to sovereignty and constitutional protections, according to White House archives.

### Areas for Consideration
- But we can’t do it alone—we need our Republican colleagues to do the right thing, for this country and for the world.” Amid criticism, Trump has brushed off questions about the legality of Tuesday’s threatened strikes.
- Bush authorized then-Under Secretary of State John Bolton to “unsign” it, citing a significant threat to sovereignty and constitutional protections, according to White House archives.
- The first Trump administration touted Israel for pointing out the ICC’s “flawed approach” as constraining liberal, democratic nations in exercising their right of self-defense.

### Implications
- Administration Blanche says DOJ providing counsel on legality of Iran strikes Comments: by Ashleigh Fields - 04/07/26 4:13 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Ashleigh Fields - 04/07/26 4:13 PM ET Comments: Link copied NOW PLAYING Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been providing legal counsel to the Trump administration on possible strikes on Iran. “The Department of Justice as it always does, supports the Department of War, the White House, Department of State to the extent that’s involved, and our intelligence communities to the extent that that’s something that’s appropriate,” Blanche said during a Tuesday press conference . “And we provide counsel to them, and we have been doing that, as you would expect,” he added.
- The president said a “whole civilization” will die tonight unless leaders in Tehran reopen the critical shipping choke point through the Strait of Hormuz, with backing from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Democrats have urged their counterparts to deem Trump unfit to serve, invoking the involuntary transfer of power under the 25th Amendment. “These aren’t policy differences.
- This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers trump, iran, ago topics. Notable strengths include discussion of trump. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 957.