Donald Trump warned on Sunday that Tuesday would be “Power Plant Day” and “Bridge Day” in Iran if the country doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz, delivering the threat in a profanity-laced post on Truth Social. The crucial shipping lane has been effectively shut down for over a month since the U.S. and Israel reportedly launched strikes on Iran.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” Trump wrote on Easter morning. He followed it up with a direct message to Tehran: “Open the F—in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!” He ended the post with “Praise be to Allah.”
The threat marks a continued escalation from the president. Just last Thursday, he made a similar vow to hit Iran’s “Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island,” according to Reuters. Kharg Island handles nearly all of Iran’s oil exports, making it one of the most strategically important sites in the country. Trump had made similar declarations earlier in the week as well.
Infrastructure strikes raise legal concerns
The implications of targeting civilian infrastructure are significant. Experts have warned that strikes on power plants and desalination facilities could potentially amount to war crimes under international law, according to Politico. When asked about the threats, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. “will always act within the confines of the law.”
Sunday’s warning came just a day after Trump gave Iran a 48-hour window to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face “all Hell.” Iranian officials have responded with their own threats, saying they would strike U.S. infrastructure in the Middle East in retaliation. Meanwhile, the president has also been dealing with fallout from other confrontations, including a recent incident where Iran appeared to shoot down a U.S. F-15E weeks after Trump claimed their radar had been destroyed.
Trump also announced he would hold a news conference in the Oval Office on Monday to discuss the rescue of two U.S. pilots whose aircraft were reportedly downed in Iran. Separately, back on the domestic front, Trump has been pushing a controversial proposal where the Postal Service would decide who gets a ballot, a move that 23 states have sued to block.
