In the interview on MS NOW, host Jen Psaki spoke with former Secretary of State John Kerry about President Trump’s rhetoric and the situation in Iran. “You step up and not only use language like that, but say a whole civilization is going to die. That sounds to me like it’s the prelude to becoming one of the greatest war criminals in history. When you kill a civilization, you are doing something precisely against all of the international norms, standards, values, and hopes, and aspirations,” Kerry said Thursday on “The Briefing.” <\/p>\n
JEN PSAKI, MS NOW HOST: Before the ceasefire was announced this week, Donald Trump said — I know you saw this — “A whole civilization will die tonight.” It — it is language I don’t think anyone has ever heard from a U.S. president publicly, privately, anyone in any position of power. It’s a pretty hard bell to unring. Given all of the roles you’ve played, what did you think when you saw that? FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY: I was as shocked as I’ve been by anything that I have seen or read by this administration, in the first administration and now in the second. For a Christian, so-called, to step up on Easter Sunday and use language like that, which kids are going to hear and people all around the world will see as a reflection of our presidency, is just utterly stunning. And to be talking about — you know, we’re the city that hosts the Holocaust Museum. We’re — we’re the place that, you know, worked so hard to liberate Europe or free Europe from fascism and — and so many other contributions we’ve made around the world. And you step up and not only use language like that, but say a whole civilization is going to die. That sounds to me like it’s the prelude to becoming one of the greatest war criminals in history. When you kill a civilization, you are doing something precisely against all of the international norms, standards, values, and hopes, and aspirations. So, you know, I think it’s important, when life and death is involved and war is involved — and it’s certainly a lesson I learned in the context of the 1960s — you know, you really need to tell the truth. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. KERRY: Public people, if they’re going to urge the American people to put their sons and daughters on the line to defend our security interests, define those interests properly and make sure you are defending them within the proper parameters of — of how we behave as a nation. And that’s how you strengthen not just the United States, that’s how you strengthen the world. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n