How is that different than the Nuremberg defense in combination with Hitler declaring Jews subhuman? One can claim Trump knowingly committed an international crime by declaring someone a terrorist when it would result in the US' criminality but the people involved are also guilty.

> If they are enemy combatants you are allowed to follow up and ensure they have been killed

Not true. Launching an attack on shipwrecked enemy is a blatant violation of the Geneva conventions. [1, Chapter II Article 12] It's also prohibited by DoD's own guidelines. [2, page 1071, section 17.14]

It's not a question of whether or not what happened was illegal, it's a textbook example of a war crime. It's a matter of whether or not the justice system still has enough power to identify who is responsible and hold them accountable.

[1] https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/assets/treaties/370-GC-II-EN....

[2] https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jul/31/2003271432/-1/-1/0/DOD...