For weeks, Donald Trump has been presenting himself as a concerned observer of unrest in Iran. He’s been condemning violence against protesters, hinting at “new leadership,” and framing himself as a moral counterweight to authoritarian brutality. But when it came to his own, he discarded that posture entirely.
Speaking with News Nation’s Katie Pavlich on Jan. 20, Trump responded to reports of protesters being burned alive and alleged assassination threats against him. But he did not choose diplomacy or restraint to clap back; he chose a sweeping threat of annihilation.
