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Oona Hathaway

@oonahathaway.bsky.social
33K followers 423 following 339 posts

Professor at Yale Law School & Professor of Political Science at Yale University; President, American Society of International Law; Executive Editor at Just Security; former Special Counsel at U.S. Department of Defense. Website: oonahathaway.com.

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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Twenty-five years after the horrific attacks on 9/11/2001, it's essential that we take time to reflect on how that day changed the United States. This documentary, Turning Point: Generation 9/11, which I was happy to be interviewed for, is remarkably well done. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1epk...
youtube.com
Turning Point: Generation 9/11 | Official Trailer | Netflix
YouTube video by Netflix
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
How are the laws of war are enforced? Do they remain relevant today, even though they are under unrelenting pressure? Take a listen to this discussion with @bcfinucane.bsky.social and @olyaoliker.bsky.social, in which we try to answer these questions and more. www.crisisgroup.org/pod/global/d...
crisisgroup.org
Do the Laws of War Still Matter in Ukraine and Beyond? | International Crisis Group
This week on War & Peace, Olga speaks with Yale Law School professor Oona Hathaway and Crisis Group expert Brian Finucane about international humanitarian law amid widespread civilian harm, emerging m...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Does International Law Make A Difference? My interview with the co-editors in chief of the Yale Journal of International Law, Alaa Hajyahia and Tawreak Gamble-Eddington, now available in Chinese! Read and share: mp.weixin.qq.com/s/swL3QcxMp5... And the original: yjil.yale.edu/posts/2026-0...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
The cost to U.S. troops of the war of choice with Iran gets too little attention. Nearly half have been injured since July 7. taskandpurpose.com/news/us-troo...
taskandpurpose.com
More than 750 US troops wounded in Iran war, nearly half since July
Nearly half of the war's wounded in action were injured in fighting since July 7, according to the Pentagon’s casualty database.
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ABILA (American Branch of the ILA) @abilaofficial.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Announcing our second Plenary Speaker: @oonahathaway.bsky.social! Oona A. Hathaway is the Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law at Yale Law School. Find out more and register for International Law Weekend 2026 here: www.ila-americanbranch.org/internationa...
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Foreign Policy for America @fp4america.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
In today’s #MustRead, @oonahathaway.bsky.social argues that the Iran war exposed the limits of America’s go-it-alone strategy, warning that U.S. power depends not just on military strength, but on alliances, institutions, and global trust built over decades. ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/2026/06/21/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | You Can’t Be a Superpower Without Allies
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
"Mr. Trump wants to make America great again, but he fails to understand that what made America great was not its power to achieve its ends unilaterally but its singular ability to build international institutions that embodied its values and interests and that others wanted to join." My latest:
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
"War Crimes: When the State Becomes the Perpetrator." I appreciated the chance to be interviewed for this documentary by Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, a major national public-service broadcaster in Germany. (It is in German.) You can watch here: www.zdf.de/video/dokus/...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Does International Law Make A Difference? This is the question I've grappled with throughout my career. Read my wide-ranging conversation with the co-editors-in-chief of the Yale Journal of International Law. yjil.yale.edu/posts/2026-0...
yjil.yale.edu
Does International Law Make A Difference? In Conversation with Oona A. Hathaway
YJIL’s Vol. 52 reached out to Prof. Oona A. Hathaway for her thoughts about the current landscape of international law and her new role with ASIL.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
It's time for Congress to step up. It should start by cutting off funding for this war until Congress authorizes it. Then it needs to reform the War Powers Act to do the same for all future conflicts so that we don't find ourselves right back here again. www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...
stripes.com
Military veterans in Congress propose bills to limit Iran war
Military veterans in Congress are seeking to place limits on the U.S. war against Iran through two newly introduced bills.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
The Defense Department has requested funds for danger pay to troops that are at increased risk of taking hostile fire or other dangers. Rather than paying more danger pay, let's stop the illegal war of choice that's putting our troops in danger. www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...
militarytimes.com
Danger pay for US troops could double, expand to more regions
The U.S. defense budget request for Fiscal Year 2027 has raised the prospect of an increase in the monthly stipend paid out to troops in dangerous regions.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
As the death toll reaches 190, it's time for another reminder that the boat strikes are unlawful under both international and domestic law--and they are a stain on our national conscience. For much more, take a look at this @justsecurity.org collection: www.justsecurity.org/120753/colle...
justsecurity.org
Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, Operation Absolute Resolve
Collection of expert analysis on the legality of the U.S. strike on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, the consequences of the strike, and related issues.
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Background Briefing with Ian Masters @ianmastersmedia.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Trump sends US warships into the Persian Gulf to escort trapped ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, potentially making a dangerous situation even more dangerous. Featuring @oonahathaway.bsky.social, Professor of International Law at Yale Law School. soundcloud.com/user-8304426...
soundcloud.com
Trump's Triply Illegal War on Iran Just Got More Dangerous
May 4, 2026 - Oona Hathaway backgroundbriefing.org/donate x.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
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Tess Bridgeman @tessbridgeman.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
This is what ongoing hostilities looks like. But to be clear, the blockade & state of military confrontation were enough to constitute continuing "hostilities" under the WPR 60-day clock before the latest skirmish, as @oonahathaway.bsky.social and I explained👇 www.justsecurity.org/137669/60-da...
justsecurity.org
At the 60-Day Mark, the Iran War is Triply Illegal
An expert analysis of the War Powers Resolution and hostilities against Iran. Trump must now terminate the war he began two months ago.
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Tess Bridgeman @tessbridgeman.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
1/ NEW: The Trump administration's new notification to Congress attempting to get out from under the War Powers Resolution 60-day clock for its #Iran war is utterly unconvincing, and also breaks new ground in a few interesting ways:
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Today, Trump "will take a war that is already doubly illegal and turn it into a triply-illegal war. He will also make it clear, if it was not already, that he regards the law as no constraint on his use of the U.S. military’s lethal power." Read more here: www.justsecurity.org/137669/60-da...
justsecurity.org
At the 60-Day Mark, the Iran War is Triply Illegal
An expert analysis of the War Powers Resolution and hostilities against Iran. Trump must now terminate the war he began two months ago.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
The war in Iran becomes triply illegal today. Read more from me and @tessbridgeman.bsky.social:
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Carter Squires @squires.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Civilians harmed in war are nearly always left to pick up the pieces alone. With @oonahathaway.bsky.social and @sarahdonilon.bsky.social, we propose a comprehensive scheme for compensating them, building on longstanding U.S. programs for other civilians we put in harm's way. Check it out:
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Tess Bridgeman @tessbridgeman.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
With the War Powers Resolution's (WPR) 60-day clock running out for the #Iran war, let's clear up a few things: 1) The deadline for #Trump to get authorization from Congress was *before* he went to war. That is required by the Constitution, which gives that power to Congress, not the President.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
What do states owe the innocent civilians they kill in war? When we started this article, we had no idea how relevant it would be when it was published. "War Hazards Compensation for Civilians"--now out! With coauthors @sarahdonilon.bsky.social & Carter Squires. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Congratulations to the new members of the @ajil.bsky.social board! @dianemarieamann.bsky.social and @tomdannenbaum.bsky.social are outstanding scholars and will bring their expertise to AJIL, the flagship publication of @asilorg.bsky.social and the leading international law journal in the world.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
This piece @scottjshapiro.bsky.social and I wrote in 2020 suddenly seems very timely. You can read it here: authory.com/app/content/... or here: foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/04/a...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
It seems trivial, but this move to rename the Department of Defense the Department of War (at a cost of $50-$100 million) symbolizes Trump's broader rejection of the postwar legal order, grounded in the prohibition on the use of force. Congress must vote no. www.militarytimes.com/news/pentago...
militarytimes.com
Pentagon asks Congress to codify ‘Department of War,’ estimates $52 million cost
Only Congress has the authority to permanently rename executive department names, and it has not yet changed the title of the Department of Defense.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
law.yale.edu/yls-today/ne...
law.yale.edu
Professor Oona Hathaway Named President of the American Society of International Law
At the society’s annual meeting, Hathaway spoke about the importance of international law at a time when the postwar international legal order is under strain.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
New article! "Queering the Crime of Persecution," with Samantha Kiernan, in SJIL. It explains the distinct harm caused by persecution based on real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and the importance of recognizing it as a crime of persecution. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
I am honored to assume the presidency of @asilorg.bsky.social. Our 4000 members share a mission: to foster the study of international law, and to promote the establishment and maintenance of international relations on the basis of law and justice. www.justsecurity.org/137021/remar...
justsecurity.org
Remarks of Incoming ASIL President Oona Hathaway
In her address to the ASIL annual meeting, incoming president Oona Hathaway says international law has never mattered more than it does right now.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
I enjoyed this conversation about international law and why and how it matters—today more than ever. Take a listen:
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
I guess that's me. (Interesting to see my tweets turned into a "story.") www.msn.com/en-us/news/p...
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Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
The War in Iran is maybe over, maybe not, but what happens next? What happens to the US after we blew through international agreements, US law, alienated our allies, and set an example for our adversaries? @oonahathaway.bsky.social joins me on Make It Make Sense to talk about it all.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Great conversation about the Iran war and the many legal issues it raises. Take a listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...
podcasts.apple.com
America Already Crossed the Line in Iran. What Happens Now? w/ Oona Hathaway
Podcast Episode · Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes · April 17 · 33m
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Excited to see the Spanish edition of "The Internationalists" now out! LOS INTERNACIONALISTAS: UN PLAN REVOLUCIONARIO QUE PROSCRIBIÓ LA GUERRA Y REINVENTÓ EL MUNDO: 21 (BIBLIOTECA DE LITERATURA Y DERECHOS HUMANOS BERG INSTITUTE) www.amazon.es/-/en/LOS-INT...
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Firing Line with Margaret Hoover @firinglineshow.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Yale Law School Prof. @oonahathaway.bsky.social said in Feb. the Supreme Court has become "extremely partisan in a way that we haven't seen... in my lifetime." "Big question is, are they going to apply the same limitations to President Trump that they applied to President Biden?" bit.ly/4vdQmN0
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
On Saturday, a U.S. boat strike killed another five people, leaving one survivor, bringing the number of people who have been killed in illegal boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 168 since the Trump administration began targeting boats in early September. apnews.com/article/boat...
apnews.com
Strikes on alleged drug boats kill 5, leave 1 survivor in eastern Pacific, US military says
The U.S. military says it blew up two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
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Firing Line with Margaret Hoover @firinglineshow.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
"It's absolutely critical that young people turn out to vote, express themselves, and play their role in our constitutional democracy, because it won't work if they don't," says @yalelawschool-yls.bsky.social Professor @oonahathaway.bsky.social. Follow on Apple: bit.ly/4vdQmN0
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
As President Trump launches illegal war after illegal war, where is Congress? In this conversation with Margaret Hoover on PBS's Firing Line, we discuss why Congress's control over the decision to go to war is broken--and how we might fix it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N7N...
youtube.com
Oona Hathaway and Philip Wallach | Full Episode 4.10.26 | Firing Line with Margaret Hoover | PBS
YouTube video by Firing Line with Margaret Hoover | PBS
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
This conversation with Margaret Hoover on PBS's Firing Line about Congress and its war powers explores what's gone wrong--and how we might fix it.
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Firing Line with Margaret Hoover @firinglineshow.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
"Legislators see themselves first and foremost as team players for their parties," says Philip Wallach. "They don't see their job as placing limits on the president," says @oonahathaway.bsky.social. "They see their job as enabling him." TONIGHT 8:30 pm ET @pbs.org listings: to.pbs.org/39hI6Tf
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Firing Line with Margaret Hoover @firinglineshow.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
If Congress doesn’t do its job, “you end up with something closer to a monarchy or a dictatorship,” says @oonahathaway.bsky.social. “The whole reason for the revolution was to reject that form of government…When the president is able to act without any checks from Congress, all of that goes away.”
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
"Mr. Hegseth has also boasted about his efforts to scale back what he has called 'stupid rules of engagement.' Oona Hathaway, a professor of international law at Yale Law School, said those rules 'were developed precisely to prevent this kind of civilian harm'. . ." www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
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Firing Line with Margaret Hoover @firinglineshow.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
What's wrong with Congress--and how can it be fixed? Margaret Hoover hosts a forum on the role of Congress, war powers, and reform at @hofstrau.bsky.social with AEI Senior Fellow Philip Wallach and Yale Law School Prof. @oonahathaway.bsky.social. FRIDAY @pbs.org Local listings: to.pbs.org/39hI6Tf
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Mr Trump had threatened to wipe out a "whole civilisation" in Iran - and target civilian infrastructure like bridges and power plants if a deal was not met. Now a ceasefire is in place with negotiations to get underway in Pakistan this weekend. I speak with ABC: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
abc.net.au
International law expert says Trump’s threatened attacks on Iran’s infrastructure could be a war crime - ABC listen
From the Pope to the United Nations - U-S President Donald Trump's rhetoric on Iran has drawn widespread condemnation. Mr Trump had threatened to wipe out a "whole civilisation" in Iran - and target civilian infrastructure like bridges and power plants if a deal was not met. Now a ceasefire is in place with negotiations to get underway in Pakistan this weekend.    GUEST: Oona Hathaway, Professor of International Law at Yale Law School PRODUCER: Pip Cook
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
The rest of the world is trying to figure out what the heck is going on here in the United States. Here's a conversation with Radio New Zealand shortly after the ceasefire announcement: www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
I am getting a lot of questions about whether Trump's threats alone are illegal. The answer is yes. 1. First, Additional Protocol I states “Acts or threats of violence the primary purpose of which is to spread terror among the civilian population are prohibited.” (also DOD LOW Manual §5.2.2) 1/
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
I spoke to the Christian Science Monitor about Trump's threats to carry out mass war crimes. Though there appears to be a ceasefire (thank goodness), the threats have done irreparable damage to U.S. standing and moral authority. We will pay the cost for decades. www.csmonitor.com/World/2026/0...
csmonitor.com
Trump’s warnings for Iran raise the question: What is a war crime?
President Donald Trump has made threats toward Iran that, if he followed through, might be considered war crimes. Who defines a war crime, and who enforces it?
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Trump has threatened to bomb power plants, bridges, and other civilian infrastructure. If he carries out those threats, those acts would constitute war crimes. Listen to my conversation with @npr.org's @hereandnow.bsky.social: www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...
wbur.org
If carried out, Trump's threats to bomb power plants, bridges and civilians could be war crimes
President Trump has threatened to destroy Iran's bridges, roads, power plants and even desalination plants. Deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure that's not part of a military operation is co...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
This will be exhibit A in future war crimes trials if he carries out his threats. Tragically, it's those following the manifestly unlawful orders that are the ones most likely to be held to account.
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
The postwar global legal order is imperfect, to be sure, but it has brought unprecedented peace for eight decades. President Trump is throwing that all away. Glad to talk to Yola Verbruggen for "The UN, the international order and the ‘Board of Peace" www.ibanet.org/The-UN-the-i...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Great conversation with @sranderson.bsky.social and Missy Ryan on @npr.org's 1A today about President Trump's threats to target electricity-generating stations and other civilian infrastructure--and why carrying out those threats would be a war crime. the1a.org/segments/if-...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Glad to talk to Frontlines & Backrooms about the legality of the Iran war, the absence of an imminent threat, and what it means when powerful states act outside the UN Charter without meaningful response from the international community. Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/2RBS...
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Oona Hathaway @oonahathaway.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
“If these threatened attacks were to be carried out, they would constitute war crimes . . . Immiserating the civilian population for bargaining leverage is not lawful." Glad to talk to Saeed Shah for this story @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
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