George Clooney has accused Donald Trump of committing a war crime after the US President threatened to annihilate Iranian civilisation amid the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
The two-time Oscar winner made the allegation whilst addressing approximately 3,000 secondary school pupils at a Clooney Foundation for Justice gathering in Cuneo, Italy, on Wednesday.
"Some say Donald Trump is fine. But if anyone says he wants to end a civilisation, that's a war crime," the 64-year-old actor told the audience, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Mr Clooney urged students to maintain moral boundaries regardless of political affiliation.
Mr Clooney has won two Oscars over his acting career
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"You can still support the conservative point of view, but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it," he stated.
The White House swiftly hit back at the Hollywood star's remarks.
Communications Director Steven Cheung issued a statement to The Independent dismissing Clooney's accusations with a personal attack on his career.
"The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability," Mr Cheung declared.
The US President's team hit out at Mr Clooney's acting career
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The barbed response targeted the actor's professional credentials rather than addressing the substance of his war crime allegations.
Mr Clooney has won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana in 2006 and Best Picture as a producer of Argo in 2016, accumulating eight Oscar nominations throughout his career.
The exchange marked the latest escalation in an increasingly bitter public dispute between the Trump administration and one of Hollywood's most prominent political voices.
Mr Clooney responded to the White House mockery with a pointed statement highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The president recently issued a two-week ceasefire against Iran
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"Families are losing their loved ones. Children have been incinerated. The world's economy is on a knife's edge," he told Deadline. "This is a time for vigorous debate at the highest levels. Not for infantile name calling."
The actor proceeded to outline the legal basis for his accusation.
"A war crime is alleged 'when there is intent to physically destroy a nation,' as defined by the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute," Mr Clooney explained.
"What is the administration's defence? [besides calling me a failed actor which I happily agree with having starred in Batman and Robin?]."
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His self-deprecating reference to the widely panned 1997 superhero film acknowledged the criticism whilst redirecting focus to the administration's failure to address his substantive claims.
The confrontation stems from Mr Trump's incendiary social media posts earlier this week threatening Iran over the disputed Strait of Hormuz.
On Easter Sunday, the President warned on Truth Social that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" unless Iran complied with American demands.
A conditional two-week ceasefire was subsequently reached on Tuesday, brokered with Pakistani assistance.
Mr Trump ridiculed Mr Clooney's wife back in January
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"Under the agreement, Iran committed to temporarily reopening the vital shipping lane, which handles roughly a fifth of global oil and gas transit, in return for a pause in US and Israeli military strikes."
The animosity between Mr Clooney and Mr Trump predates the current crisis.
In January, the president ridiculed the actor and his wife Amal, after they obtained French citizenship, branding Mr Clooney "average" and dismissing his films as "mediocre."
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