Former US President Donald Trump made headlines once again as he took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to address the recent Iran attack on Israel. Instead of crafting a new message, Trump reposted a tweet from 2018, where he issued a direct threat to the then-President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani.
In the reposted tweet, Trump wrote, “To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!”
This move by the 77-year-old former President sparked controversy and raised questions about whether he violated the Logan Act, which prohibits unauthorised private diplomacy with foreign nations. Netizens, including journalist and lawyer Seth Abramson, called for an investigation into Trump’s actions, accusing him of attempting to undermine the authority of current President Joe Biden and potentially inciting a war.
While some supported the call for investigation, others pointed out that Rouhani is no longer the President of Iran and that Trump’s repost was from an old tweet, which may not be grounds for Logan Act charges. The debate surrounding Trump’s social media activity and its implications on US foreign policy continues to divide opinions online.