White House hits out at George Clooney for accusing Trump of committing war crime

George Clooney has been slammed by the White House after he claimed that President Trump had publicly demanded that the United States commits 'a war crime' against Iran.

The 64-year-old actor received the flak after responding to the president's widely denounced TruthSocial post on Tuesday, where he threatened 'a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,' ahead of a key deadline for the Iranian regime.

President Trump's ultimatum, backed by a fleet of armed B-1B and B-52 bombers that had been deployed to carry out his threat, resulted in the announcement of a temporary ceasefire deal with Iran which could see the crucial Strait of Hormuz reopen to international oil tankers.

But on Wednesday, Clooney told a crowd in Italy that his president's language was reprehensible, and even illegal. "Some say Donald Trump is fine. But if anyone says he wants to end a civilization, that’s a war crime," the Oceans 11 actor is reported as saying.

President Trump threatened to end Iran's 'whole civilization' if it did not agree to his demands (Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images)

Clooney did not direct his comments at the wider Republican movement, but at the president in particular, with ANSA reporting the actor adding: "You can still support the conservative point of view, but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it."

Speaking at the event in Cuneo, Italy, organized by the Clooney Foundation for Justice and attended by around 3000 high schoolers, the Democrat-supporting actor also slammed Trump's continued rhetoric about the defensive NATO alliance.

"I’m worried about NATO," the star said. "It has ensured that Europe, but also the rest of the world, has been safe. Dismantling an institution like this worries me. Aside from many mistakes, I believe the U.S. [with NATO] has also done many extraordinary things that have stood the test of time."

But the Oscar-winner's accusation that the president had committed a war crime, by threatening a 7000-year-old civilization with total destruction, drew a fiery response from the White House.

Trump's threat was called a 'war crime' at an event hosted by George and Amal Clooney's foundation (Frazer Harrison/WireImage)

The administration's communications director Steven Cheung said in reply: "The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability."

This response from Trump's spokesperson did not impress Clooney, who said that the personal attack was 'infantile' when the current state of the world demanded a 'vigorous debate' about conduct in public life.

In a statement provided to Deadline after the White House's comments went public, Clooney said: "Families are losing their loved ones. Children have been incinerated.

"The world’s economy is on a knife’s edge. This is a time for vigorous debate at the highest levels. Not for infantile name calling. I’ll start. A war crime is alleged 'when there is intent to physically destroy a nation,' as defined by the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute.

"What is the administration’s defense? [besides calling me a failed actor which I happily agree with having starred in Batman and Robin?]."