President Trump threatened to unleash extreme violence on Iranians in a post on social media Tuesday. Trump wrote on Truth Social that a "whole civilization ​will die tonight, never to ​be brought back ​again" if Iran does not reach a deal to end the conflict by Tuesday evening.

Trump did not seek approval from Congress before striking Iran alongside Israel at the end of February. Congress is in spring recess until the end of this week.

Rep. Jim McGovern, a member of Massachusetts' all-Democratic delegation, called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring Congress back in session in the wake of what he termed Trump's "unhinged rhetoric."

He told WBUR's Morning Edition host Tiziana Dearing that "the president is posting things and saying things that make him sound like a madman."

This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

On what Congress should do next...

"We're still in recess. He [Mike Johnson] should call us back in the session. We should have a debate. Congress should vote on this. I mean, the president is posting things and saying things that make him sound like a madman. They are crimes that he's talking about when he talks about wiping out an entire civilization. And it should be of concern to everybody, but Congress should be in session."

On what he thinks Congress will actually do next... 

"The speaker is a total puppet of Donald Trump. We will work, we will reach out to him. We will do all we can to try to persuade him, but he is a puppet of Donald Trump. He is afraid of Donald Trump, and quite frankly, so is the overwhelming majority of the Republican conference.

"This is a time for people to basically show a little courage and a little backbone. I mean, we are in the midst of a war. People are dying. We have thousands of troops deployed in the region, and the president is talking about destroying civilizations and believes he is unaccountable to any law, U.S. law or international law, and it's really frightening.

"I've never in my life I witnessed a president so unhinged."

On whether he thinks Trump's comments are making the world less safe...

"I think that Trump's war in Iran has made the United States and the world less secure. I think his talking about ignoring international law, his talk about destroying a civilization, quite frankly makes us less secure and again, I'm hoping that there are Republicans, I'm hoping there are people in his cabinet that are trying to reel him in. He doesn't sound like he's a well person. Quite frankly, there needs to be an intervention.

"Leaders don't talk this way. This is not at all helpful in terms of trying to find a resolution to what's going on right now or to get to a ceasefire. This is the kind of rhetoric, quite frankly, that sends all the wrong signals to the most extreme elements, not just in Iran, but all around the world.

"So look, I want a president that's going to fight for peace, and I want a president that understands national security. It is not just about dropping bombs on a country halfway around the world. The national security includes things like making sure people have enough to eat in this country, that people have housing, you know, he's threatening war crimes and genocide. That's not, that's just not strong rhetoric. I mean that takes us to a whole new level and quite frankly it should concern everybody no matter what your politics may be."