Word of the Week: What Does “Perfidy” Mean — and Why It Matters Now

An unusual word surged back into public conversation this month: perfidy. Interest spiked after reporting suggested the United States may have used an aircraft disguised as a civilian plane during a deadly military strike in the Caribbean, prompting questions about whether international law was violated.

Perfidy refers to a specific form of deception prohibited under the laws of armed conflict. According to international humanitarian law, perfidy involves inviting an enemy’s trust by pretending to be protected — such as posing as civilians or medical personnel — and then betraying that trust to carry out an attack.

The concept dates back centuries and was formally codified in the 1863 Lieber Code, the first modern attempt to regulate wartime conduct. Today, perfidy appears in the Hague Conventions, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and the US Department of Defense Law of War Manual.

Legal scholars explain that three elements must be present for an act to qualify as perfidy: gaining the enemy’s confidence, intending to betray that confidence, and exploiting protections under the laws of war to cause harm. Classic examples include feigning surrender or misusing symbols like the Red Cross to launch attacks.

In the current controversy, experts say the question hinges on whether the United States was engaged in an armed conflict at the time of the strike. Some legal analysts argue that without a legally recognized armed conflict, the laws of war — including perfidy — may not apply at all.

Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps officer and law-of-war scholar, and Tess Bridgeman of the legal publication Just Security both contend that focusing on perfidy may be misplaced. They argue the more relevant issue is whether the strike itself was lawful, regardless of wartime classifications.

Others, including retired US Army judge advocate Dru Brenner-Beck, note that unresolved facts could still affect how international courts interpret the incident, particularly if it is tied to broader conflicts involving state actors.

The Trump administration has denied violating international law, maintaining the strike was lawful and carried out in defense of US national interests.

While the word “perfidy” may sound archaic, its reappearance highlights ongoing debates over how modern military operations are classified — and which legal frameworks apply when force is used outside traditional battlefields.

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