In an interview on “Fox and Friends” on Tuesday, President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of being the brain behind recent protests against Trump, and leaks from the White House. In the segment, Trump was asked whether he believed Obama was behind the incidents, including the rowdy town halls that many Republican lawmakers have recently faced.

“I think he is behind it. I also think it’s politics,” Trump answered. He has previously tweeted that “the so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists.” On Tuesday he added that he thinks Obama’s “people are certainly behind it,” and also responsible for leaks from the government that “are really very serious leaks, because they’re very bad in terms of national security.” He didn’t explain how or why Obama would be leaking information from the White House, but people on Twitter had some theories.

Yes, Obama is behind all the leaks, which he saw in visions of the future before leaving, and left on post-it notes for WH staff to find.

— Kris Colvin (@KrisColvin) February 19, 2017

Trump says “Obama’s behind leaks & protests.”
And by “Obama” he means “his people.”
And by “his people” he means “the majority of US voters”

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) February 28, 2017

Others simply wanted an explanation.

Can someone explain how Obama is behind townhall attendance/leaks? If Trump can’t explain he needs to be removed for mental health issues.

— IMPEACH OrangeJulius (@puppymnkey) February 28, 2017

But it seems like Obama has an alibi.

Trump on WH leaks: “I think that President Obama’s behind it because his people are certainly behind it.”

Obama: pic.twitter.com/q25XVeRo9c

— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) February 28, 2017

In the Fox interview, Trump also touched on his budget plan, which proposes a big increase in spending on the military but significant cuts in other areas, like EPA funding. He said it would be financed through a “revved-up economy” that is supposedly forthcoming. Also, he said the U.S. will “do things with other countries” and later ask for reimbursement, like assisting with military services.

Trump has decided not to attend the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, since members of the media just “make stories up.” It would be inappropriate for him to go to the dinner “in light of the fact of fake news,” he said. The “Fox and Friends” hosts even asked the president to give himself a grade based on his performance so far. He gave himself an A for achievement, but only a C for his ability to get his message out to the people.

Trump will address Congress for the first time on Tuesday night, and at least one Democrat has said he will not greet Trump when he enters the House floor. Representative Eliot L. Engel has shaken the president’s hand at every presidential address to Congress for almost 30 years, but said he will not do so this year, citing policy differences.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump Believes Obama is Behind the Protests and White House Leaks appeared first on Law Street.

This morning, Donald Trump called into “Fox and Friends” to explain what he would do to take down ISIS. While outlining his strategy he voiced some incredibly disturbing, legally questionable, and morally wrong ideas. Check out the clip for yourself:

.@realDonaldTrump: “I’d knock the hell out of ISIS… you have to take out their families.” https://t.co/ju4LYTl0JV

— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) December 2, 2015

Yup, Donald Trump said that in order to fight ISIS we have to “take out their families,” and that we’re fighting too politically correct of a war, in which we’re just too worried about civilian casualties.

Here’s the issue: what Donald Trump is advocating for by targeting ISIS members’ families is pretty much a crime against humanity. Whether or not he’d actually ever be held responsible for it is a whole different matter, given that the U.S. is not party to the various international courts that actually punish perpetrators. But what Donald Trump is advocating for isn’t just a show of aggression, or tough tactics against ISIS. It’s fundamentally against what we, as humans, have decided is acceptable in war.

International law is a complicated, very gray field. But there are some basics that it lays out. These are things that we’ve all pretty much universally decided should be illegal in war. There are “peremptory norms,” sometimes referred to as jus cogens, that lay out the things that are never acceptable under any circumstances. Peremptory norms include things like acts of genocide, slavery, and torture. That’s not to say that these things never happen, but more that they are viewed as the worst of the worst. Peremptory norms include crimes against humanity, which specifically forbid killing any civilians on purpose. While it’s pretty well recognized that sometimes civilian casualties are unavoidable, directly targeting civilians is always unacceptable.

There’s also Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions which forbids: “murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture” for “persons taking no active part in the hostilities.” The idea that killing civilians is morally unacceptable has been reiterated in court over and over again, beginning with the Nuremberg Trials. Put very simply: we, as humans, have decided time and time again that directly targeting civilians in war, regardless of who they may be related to, is wrong.

Michael Walzer, a professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study, discussed Trump’s statements with Mic, saying:

The crucial moral and … legal requirement … is to distinguish between combatants and civilians, and noncombatants and to attack only the combatants. To target the innocent is the worst crime of war.

International law truly is a gray area, and the U.S. hasn’t always been great about following it. We haven’t ratified the treaty that created the International Criminal Court, and we have a contentious history with accepting rulings by the International Court of Justice. Yet for one of our leading presidential candidates to argue that we should purposefully and publicly break international principles is beyond the pale. If we stoop to the level of committing atrocities against civilians, we are truly no better than our enemies.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Donald Trump’s New Strategy to Fight ISIS: Crimes Against Humanity? appeared first on Law Street.

The folks over at Fox and Friends learned a valuable lesson in social media engagement this week–actually, who knows if they’re even paying attention, considering they met the same fate as the NYPD’s failed #myNYPD campaign earlier in 2014 . The morning show hosts tried to build a year-end social media swell with this tweet featuring Survivor contestant turned talk show host Elisabeth Hasselbeck:

2014 has been a year full of things we don’t want to see in the New Year. What are YOU over? Comment with #OverIt2014 pic.twitter.com/FjE8C989d3

— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) December 30, 2014

I’m guessing that what ensued isn’t exactly what the team had hoped for. Twitter responded–and continues to do so today–with a barrage of tweets attacking the network for a variety of offenses from homophobia to religious intolerance. Check out some of the responses in the slideshow below.

[SlideDeck2 id=30936 ress=1]

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Well, That Didn’t Work Out How Fox News Planned #OverIt2014 appeared first on Law Street.