Donald Trump once warned Barack Obama against "playing the Iran card" to boost his political prospects by starting a war. Eight years later, Trump is showing no reluctance to capitalize politically on his order to kill a top Iranian general, drawing accusations that he is weaponizing foreign policy for his campaign's own gain.

President Donald Trump insists that Iranian cultural sites are fair game for the U.S. military, dismissing concerns within his own administration that doing so could constitute a war crime under international law. He also warned Iraq that he would levy punishing sanctions if it expelled American troops in retaliation for a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad that killed a top Iranian official.

The United States is preparing itself for any possible retaliation from Iran after a U.S. strike killed a top Iranian commander, a move that was concerned about by countries around the world and even questioned by some U.S. lawmakers.