Trump Threatens 'Whole Civilization Will Die' in Iran Ultimatum
On April 7, 2026, hours before his 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump posted on Truth Social that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." The threat — his most extreme public rhetoric of the Iran war — drew condemnation from Democrats calling for the 25th Amendment, criticism from some Republicans, and accusations of a threat to commit genocide from Amnesty International. Iran called the statement "a sign of ignorance."
“The president of the United States is a man who recognizes leverage. If the Iranians want to exact a certain amount of pain, the United States has the ability to exact much, much greater pain. I hope Iran makes the right response.”