Trump Threats on Iran Civilian Sites Raise Escalation Fears

President Donald Trump’s repeated threat to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure is the latest sign of the US leader’s increasing detachment from international norms and the bounds of modern warfare, a trend that’s alienating traditional allies.

Trump has pushed into legally contested territory both abroad and at home in his second term, advancing an expansive view of presidential authority. That’s included seizing Venezuela’s president and taking control of the country’s oil, bombing half a dozen nations including Nigeria, and starting the Iran war without Congressional approval, sparking a global energy crisis.