<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> has shrugged off a question about whether he was worried about committing a war crime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The president has </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-april-7-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines-australian-fuel-price-and-supply/0d1a8d3f-5731-407e-8e1e-443d7ebbc556" rel="" target="" title="threatened to bomb civilian infrastructure in Iran"><span>threatened to bomb civilian infrastructure in Iran</span></a><span> such as bridges and power plants.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-war-iran-what-time-will-trump-deadline-expire/2bb5088c-9652-41f3-816c-e061ba99a054" rel="" target="" title="was asked at a press briefing"><span>was asked</span></a><span> if he was concerned the attacks would constitute war crimes.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-supreme-court-storms-out-birthright-citizenship-case-hearing-usa-news/08eaaded-0c31-4a88-b0ac-51736aadc8c0"><strong><span>Donald Trump storms out of Supreme Court as he faces loss</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm not worried about it," he replied.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You know what's a war crime? Having a nuclear weapon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Allowing a sick country with demented leadership having a nuclear weapon."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/can-donald-trump-be-charged-with-a-war-crime/71871985-f374-4fea-be6a-9d3ec69e4161" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It comes after 100 international law experts penned an open letter warning that the US actions in Iran violated international law.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But it raises the question: could the US president face trial over what has happened in Iran?</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The answer is technically yes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He absolutely could," said University of Sydney law professor Emily Crawford.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The question is whether or not he would ever actually face trial, and that's the thing that would probably never happen."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The usual avenue for war crime prosecutions is the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-likes-to-pull-the-nato-card-but-can-he-really-withdraw-the-us/f5e77839-78d4-46e3-949d-cb18b7b0c6f9" rel="" target="" title="International Criminal Court"><span>International Criminal Court</span></a><span> (ICC), but neither the US or Iran have signed on to the body.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ICC, based in the </span><a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/best-destinations-in-the-world-senior-travellers-australian-cities-spain-netherlands-study/f7c4c555-590a-416e-bda5-0412c5511596" rel="" target="" title="Dutch city of The Hague"><span>Dutch city of The Hague</span></a><span>, has previously sought to put other world leaders on trial.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-ballroom-construction-halted-white-house-east-wing-usa-politics-news/3f85b9a7-b9d3-4d44-8af3-380a25eea3a5"><strong><span>'Construction has to stop!': Judge orders a halt to Trump's ballroom</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Iran or another country could request an investigation into war crimes. The prosecutor of the court could also open an investigation off their own bat.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's how it's possible that, at least in theory, arrest warrants could be issued," Crawford said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Even though there's basically no probability of any of these personnel, up to and including Donald Trump ever appearing in The Hague."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump could join a list of other prominent individuals to have had arrest warrants issued for them by the ICC, but are not brought into custody.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That list currently includes </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/xi-jinping-and-vladimir-putin-closer-ties/824484ee-4654-4ba0-818d-4833b0614729?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nine.com.au&amp;utm_content=feed&amp;utm_term=nine_digital" rel="" target="" title="Vladimir Putin"><span>Vladimir Putin</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/benjamin-netanyahu" rel="" target="" title="Benjamin Netanyahu"><span>Benjamin Netanyahu</span></a><span> and Ugandan warlord </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/what-became-of-kony-2012-five-years-on/2f2eaa9e-ad87-4c21-a741-3e674a81b1a8" rel="" target="" title="Joseph Kony"><span>Joseph Kony</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But it is theoretically possible for Trump to face charges in the United States, according to ANU Professor of International Law Donald Rothwell.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/pete-hegseth-suspicious-trades-blackrock-defence-stocks-pentagon-secretary-of-war-denial/31095d1a-7d6e-479b-96f8-e087a3a92de8"><strong><span>Iran attacks Pete Hegseth on reports he sought to profit from the war</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The US does have mechanisms and processes under which US citizens could be charged with war crimes," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"On the other hand, the President, of course, has immunity."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>So a prosecutor in the US could press charges but it would likely be knocked back by a judge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Even a particularly vindictive successor in the White House may not want to seek war crimes charges against Trump.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This is in large part because just about every US president has committed an act that could retrospectively be viewed as a war crime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-it-takes-two-to-taco-usa-iran-war-latest-news/420dd38d-8d0a-45bf-91df-72b06326fe23"><strong><span>It takes two to TACO: Why Trump can't end war with Iran by himself</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>