Donald Trump Will Not Face Prosecution For His Alleged War Crimes, Journalist Says

As speculation of Donald Trump’s possible post-presidency prosecution intensifies, The Intercept’s Jeremy Scahill predicted that the president will not face prosecution for his alleged war crimes.

“Calls are mounting for post-presidency prosecution of Trump and with very good reason,” he wrote. “But they center around Trump’s personal and brazen crookedness. On the issue of his war crimes? Nothing.”

Scahill noted Barack Obama’s decision to forgo prosecuting anyone for the CIA’s torture program under George W. Bush’s administration and suggested that Joe Biden’s incoming administration would likely do the same for the outgoing president’s purported war crimes.

“There is no movement demanding he be prosecuted under international law for the assassination of an Iranian military official on the territory of a third country. No calls for prosecution for proudly aiding and abetting the genocidal campaign of terror being waged by the Saudis in Yemen. No inquiries planned for his policy changes that allowed for even greater widespread killing of civilians in U.S. military operations. “

Scahill argued that Trump’s approach to the military-industrial complex is aligned with “ordinary U.S. business.” He pointed to the army budgets bestowed upon his administration with bipartisan support and suggested that bolstering the political ruling class is Washington’s top priority.

According to the journalist, Trump will not likely face trial for any of his supposed presidential war crimes. Not only that, he predicted that if Trump or his allies are sued by victims of extrajudicial killing or torture, Biden’s Justice Department will likely intervene — as Obama’s did for Bush’s allies.

Trump himself has shown a willingness to forgive war crimes. As reported by The Guardian, the president pardoned Navy SEAL platoon leader Eddie Gallagher, who was convicted of killing an Islamic State captive with a hunting knife and posing with his dead body. The publication claimed that platoon members described Gallagher as a ruthless leader who had no problem taking the lives of others.

The U.S. leader also pardoned the four Blackwater mercenaries who were involved in the 2007 Baghdad massacre that led to the death of 17 civilians, including two children. As The Inquisitr reported, United Nations human rights experts claimed that his pardons violated international law. According to the U.N., the use of private mercenaries who operate outside of international law is a concerning development

Notably, Jelena Aparac, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries, warned that the Blackwater pardons could pave the way for future war crimes by nations that use private military and security companies