Concerns over Donald Trump's threats against Iran are emerging within Republican ranks, with some officials distancing themselves from the remarks. Trump's warning to destroy Iran if it failed to meet US demands drew criticism globally, but officials maintained the rhetoric was intended as a negotiating tactic.
Some Republicans, including Senator Ron Johnson and Representative Nathaniel Moran, publicly distanced themselves from the remarks, with Johnson hoping the comments were 'bluster' and Moran rejecting the idea of targeting a country at such a scale.
Democrats have responded with criticism and renewed calls for impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment, with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warning that 'we cannot risk the world' and Senator Chuck Schumer calling Trump an 'extremely sick person' for his remarks.
International criticism has also mounted, with Iran's UN ambassador describing Trump's threat as 'deeply irresponsible' and 'profoundly alarming,' while Pope Leo called such rhetoric 'unacceptable.'
