Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump on Thursday accused former Secretary of State John Kerry of violating the Logan Act by taking part in negotiations with Iran's government, which in recent days has announced it will reduce its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal that the Trump administration pulled out of last year.

Kerry promptly denied the President's accusation.

During an event focused on medical billing at the White House, Trump alleged that Kerry, who served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, is undermining the current administration's efforts with Iran by participating in calls and meetings with the Iranian government.

"What I'd like to see with Iran, I'd like to see them call me. You know John Kerry speaks to them a lot. John Kerry tells them not to call. That's a violation of the Logan Act and frankly he should be prosecuted for that," Trump said.



Facts First: Putting aside Trump's charge against Kerry, which Kerry flatly denies, here's what you need to know about the Logan Act. The act was established in 1799 and makes it a felony for individuals who are not authorized by the US government to negotiate with foreign governments which have disputes with the US. Though the term has been thrown around as an accusation several times this century -- and has been used more than once by Trump to attack Kerry -- there have been few cases when someone has been indicted for violating the act. These cases took place in the 1800s and no one was ever convicted.

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