Carlos Gimenez shrugs off Trump's ‘civilization’ threat as negotiation tactic

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: A Republican lawmaker is brushing aside the global outrage over President Donald Trump’s dramatic warning that Iran could see its “whole civilization” wiped out, framing the remark not as policy but as strategy.

Rep Carlos Gimenez, while speaking on CNN’s 'The Situation Room' on April 10, Friday, argued that the president’s words should be viewed through the lens of his negotiation style, even as he distanced himself from the substance of the threat.

 Gimenez dismisses threat as 'negotiation style'

Speaking during the on 'The Situation Room', Gimenez was pressed on whether Trump’s rhetoric crossed a line.

The president’s earlier post, which warned that an entire civilization could be destroyed if Iran failed to meet US demands, had triggered sharp criticism across political lines.

Gimenez, however, downplayed the significance of the language.

“Look, I mean, the president has his way of trying to negotiate,” he said, suggesting that Trump’s words are often part of a broader tactical approach.

“For the president of the United States to say that, which I wish he hadn’t,” he said, before adding, “But that is not a war crime. All right? That’s his negotiating style.”

“And so a lot of times what I’ll do is I don’t listen to, really, a lot of what he says, I just look at what he does.”

But when pushed directly on whether he would support such an extreme course of action, the Florida Republican drew a clear boundary.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “I mean, that’s not something I’m going to be comfortable with, wiping out a civilization.”

At the same time, Gimenez pivoted to criticize Iran, pointing to its long-standing hostility toward the US and its allies.

“I’m not also comfortable with Iran threatening to wipe out Israel and America for the last 47 years. ‘Death to America, death to Israel.’ I’m not comfortable with that either,” he added.

Gimenez highlights Iran's 'war crimes'

Trump’s original comments came amid escalating tensions and ahead of a self-imposed deadline for negotiations with Tehran.

His warning about destroying Iran’s “whole civilization” was part of a broader pattern of increasingly aggressive rhetoric, including threats targeting infrastructure and energy assets.

Gimenez acknowledged discomfort with the phrasing but ultimately defended the broader context.

He went on to argue that the Iranian regime itself has a long record of actual war crimes, citing attacks on civilians, use of human shields, and repression of its own population.