George Clooney has issued a pointed response after a White House spokesperson mocked him over comments he made accusing President Trump of committing a war crime. Clooney’s original remarks came during a speech to high school students in Italy, where he referenced Trump’s written threat toward Iran stating that “a whole civilization will die tonight.” Clooney argued that threatening the destruction of a nation meets the definition of a war crime under international law. In response, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told The Independent that “the only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability.” Clooney then sent a statement to Deadline, criticizing the administration’s tone and reiterating that international conventions define intent to destroy a nation as a potential war crime. He also joked about his own career, referencing Batman & Robin. Clooney’s comments came as Trump announced he was delaying his threat against Iran for two weeks while negotiations continued over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. While Clooney’s written statement carried a playful edge, his public remarks in Italy were serious, emphasizing that threatening to end a civilization crosses a legal and moral line according to international definitions.