Trump Issues New Expletive‑Laden Social‑Media Threat to Strike Iranian Power Plants and Bridges by Tuesday as Rights Groups Condemn Civilian‑Infrastructure Targeting
President Trump posted an expletive‑laden social‑media threat saying “Open the F—-n’ Strait… or you’ll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH!,” naming Tuesday as “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” and in interviews broadened the warning to destroy “every power plant” and bridges while appending “Praise be to Allah,” praising a rescued F‑15 crew member and scheduling a Pentagon news conference. Rights groups including Amnesty International’s Agnes Callamard condemned threats to civilian infrastructure as likely to harm civilians and raise possible war‑crimes issues, a criticism amplified by the timing during Easter and contrasts with the Pope’s call for peace.
📌 Key Facts
- Trump posted an expletive‑laden social‑media message threatening Iran, including the line: “Open the F—-n’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!”
- He set a Tuesday deadline, writing “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” and told The Wall Street Journal he could destroy “every power plant” and that Iran “won’t have any bridges standing” if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by Tuesday evening.
- The threats were communicated both via the expletive social‑media post and in a Wall Street Journal interview, reinforcing the same Tuesday deadline for reopening the strait or facing strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges.
- Trump appended “Praise be to Allah” to the message, publicly praised a rescued F‑15 crew member as a “highly respected Colonel,” described the rescue as a rarely attempted, extremely dangerous raid “deep inside the mountains of Iran,” and announced a Monday afternoon news conference with Pentagon officials.
- Amnesty International head Agnes Callamard denounced the threat on social media, warning that destruction of power infrastructure and bridges would primarily harm Iranian civilians and could carry possible war‑crimes implications.
- Observers note that both the U.S. and Iran have already attacked infrastructure such as oil fields and desalination plants, and outside observers warn both sides face potential war‑crimes exposure.
- The timing overlapped with global Christian Easter observances; Axios highlighted the contrast with Pope Leo XIV’s call for peace and reported that Catholic and broader Christian social media circulated side‑by‑side coverage of the Pope’s sermon and Trump’s threats, sharpening criticism from religious leaders.
📊 Relevant Data
Women comprised 9.8% of US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) personnel in fiscal year 2021, up from 7.9% in 2016, compared to 18.7% of the total US military force in fiscal year 2020.
WOMEN IN SPECIAL OPERATIONS: Improvements to Policy, Data, and Assessments Needed to Better Address Barriers to Service — US Government Accountability Office
Barriers to women's participation in US special operations include gender discrimination, sexual harassment, pregnancy-related policies, ill-fitting equipment, and childcare availability, as identified in surveys and assessments.
WOMEN IN SPECIAL OPERATIONS: Improvements to Policy, Data, and Assessments Needed to Better Address Barriers to Service — US Government Accountability Office
Black households in the US have higher energy burdens, with 50% of energy-burdened households being Black compared to 29% of non-energy-burdened households, based on data from 1999 to 2021.
Energy Consumption and Inequality in the U.S. — Federal Reserve
Approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day, representing about 20% of global daily oil consumption, pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
What is the Strait of Hormuz and why is it so important for oil? — Reuters
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Axios locates Trump’s latest 'living in Hell' threat to Iran specifically in an Easter context, contrasting it with Pope Leo XIV’s simultaneous call for peace and nonviolence.
- It emphasizes that Trump’s vow to strike power plants and bridges by Tuesday overlapped with global Christian Easter observances, sharpening criticism from religious leaders who see a disconnect between the holiday’s message and the administration’s rhetoric.
- The article highlights how Catholic and broader Christian social media are circulating side‑by‑side clips/headlines of the Pope’s sermon and Trump’s threats, turning the contrast itself into a story.
- Trump told The Wall Street Journal he could destroy 'every power plant' in Iran if the country does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening.
- He broadened the language to warn Iran would 'lose every power plant and every other plant they have in the whole country' if it keeps the strait closed.
- He again tied the threat to bridges as well, saying Iran 'won’t have any power plants and they won’t have any bridges standing' if it does not 'do something by Tuesday evening.'
- Trump’s latest comments come via an expletive‑laden social‑media post, not just a newspaper interview, again setting a Tuesday deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz or facing strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges.
- He adds the claim that Iran will be 'living in Hell' and appends 'Praise be to Allah' to the message, language likely aimed at both domestic supporters and Iranian audiences.
- Amnesty International head Agnes Callamard publicly denounces the threat on social media, warning that destruction of power infrastructure and bridges would primarily harm Iranian civilians and suggesting possible war‑crimes implications.
- The article stresses that both the U.S. and Iran have already attacked infrastructure such as oil fields and desalination plants, with outside observers warning of potential war‑crimes exposure on both sides.
- Confirms the precise wording and tone of Trump’s threat, including the phrase: “Open the F—-n’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!”
- Specifies that Trump wrote: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” explicitly naming Tuesday as the target date for potential strikes.
- Notes that Trump appended “Praise be to Allah” to the post, an unusual religious sign‑off that is drawing attention on social media.
- Adds that Trump publicly praised the rescued F‑15 crew member as a “highly respected Colonel” and described the rescue as a rarely attempted, extremely dangerous raid “deep inside the mountains of Iran,” while announcing a Monday afternoon news conference with Pentagon officials.