Trump: Plan is Ready to Destroy Every Iranian Bridge, Power Plant by Midnight Tomorrow/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump said Iran is actively participating in negotiations to end the war. He noted talks are progressing ahead of a Tuesday deadline. Trump says he’s ‘not at all’ concerned about war crimes as he threatens destruction of Iran’s bridges, power plants. Trump also defended potential strikes and detailed a risky rescue mission.
Trump Iran Negotiations + Quick Looks
- Trump calls Iran “active, willing participant”
- Negotiations underway ahead of Tuesday deadline
- Mediators include Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey
- Trump defends possible infrastructure strikes
- Rescue mission involved hundreds of personnel
- Military advisers split on rescue decision
- A-10 aircraft shot down during rescue
- Trump claims Iranians want continued bombing
Deep Look: Trump Promises Strikes on Iran’s Civilian Infrastructure if Tehran Doesn’t Capitulate by 8 p.m. ET Tuesday
President Donald Trump said the US has a plan under which every bridge and power plant in Iran could be destroyed by midnight tomorrow.
“I mean complete demolition by 12 o’clock. And it will happen over a period of four hours if we wanted to. We don’t want that to happen,” Trump said.
Trump over the weekend appeared to set a new deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time,” he wrote, after issuing a profane message renewing threats to bomb key Iranian infrastructure, including power plants, if Tehran does not comply.
Targeting critical civilian infrastructure could be considered a war crime. Trump has declared and then modified deadlines for the opening of the strait multiple times.
President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran is actively engaged in negotiations to potentially end the war, signaling possible diplomatic progress even as a deadline for potential U.S. military action approaches.
Speaking during a White House press conference, Trump described Iran as a cooperative participant in ongoing discussions.
“I can’t talk about ceasefire, but I can tell you that we have an active, willing participant on the other side,” Trump said. “They would like to be able to make a deal.”
Trump added that negotiations through intermediaries are progressing ahead of the Tuesday deadline he set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face possible U.S. strikes.
“Essentially they have till 8 p.m. tomorrow night, Eastern time, but we are dealing with them,” Trump said. “I think it’s going well.”
Trump confirmed that Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and adviser Jared Kushner are involved in talks with intermediary nations. Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey have reportedly played key roles in facilitating indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
However, previous attempts to move toward direct talks had stalled last week, according to reports.
Trump Defends Potential Strikes
Trump also defended his warnings to target Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and energy facilities, if negotiations fail. Critics have raised concerns that such attacks could harm civilians.
When asked whether those strikes would punish Iranian civilians, Trump said the Iranian population would be willing to endure hardship for eventual freedom.
“It’s suffering. They would be willing to suffer that in order to have freedom,” Trump said.
He also claimed intercepted communications suggest some Iranian civilians want continued U.S. military pressure.
“We’ve had numerous intercepts, ‘Please keep bombing,’” Trump said, describing communications allegedly from residents near targeted areas.
Trump reiterated that Iran has until Tuesday evening to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face further action.
Trump touts airman rescue mission, boasts Iran could be ‘taken out in 1 night’
President Donald Trump touted the “historic” rescue of the downed F-15E airmen behind enemy lines and issued a warning to Iran to make a deal before Tuesday night’s 8 p.m. ET deadline or face being “taken out.”
“This is a rescue that’s very historic,” Trump told the White House press corps in a Monday news conference. “It’ll go down to the books.”
“Late Thursday night, an American F-15 fighter jet went down deep inside enemy territory in Iran while participating in Operation Epic Fury, where we’re doing unbelievably well. Well, at a level that nobody’s ever seen before.”
Rescue Mission Details
During the press conference, Trump and military officials also provided new details about the rescue of two U.S. airmen after their F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the success of the rescue depended heavily on the downed airman’s determination to survive.
“The single most important contributor to a successful rescue operation is the spirit of attack inside the heart of that downed aviator,” Caine said.
Trump revealed that hundreds of personnel participated in the operation, though exact troop numbers were not disclosed.
“Hundreds of people could have been killed,” Trump said, noting that some military advisers initially opposed the mission due to risks.
A-10 Shot Down During Rescue
Officials also confirmed that an A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft was shot down during the rescue mission. The pilot safely ejected over friendly territory and was recovered.
The aircraft had been providing suppressive fire and communication support to help rescue the downed F-15 crew.
“These aircraft put themselves between the survivor on the ground and the enemy,” Caine explained.
Both rescued crew members are now recovering, according to officials.
Trump says US should impose tolls on Strait of Hormuz instead of Iran
President Donald Trump says the United States — rather than Iran — should impose a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
“What about us charging tolls?” he said. “I’d rather do that than let them have them.”
Iran has asserted its control over the critical waterway by issuing a new toll system for tankers looking to pass through. The country approved a plan last month to impose tolls on ships passing through the strait and enforce “Iran’s sovereign role.”
Trump said he believed the US should issue tolls because of its military success in the current conflict.
“Why shouldn’t we? We’re the winner,” he said. “We won. OK? They are militarily defeated.”
Faith and Timing Emphasized
Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also invoked religious themes when describing the rescue, noting that the operation unfolded during Easter weekend.
“God was watching us — amazing,” Trump said.
Hegseth described the rescued airman’s first communication after activating his emergency beacon: “God is good.”
The rescue unfolded from Good Friday through Easter Sunday, which officials said added symbolic significance to the successful mission.
Military Advisers Divided
Trump acknowledged that not all military leaders supported the rescue operation due to its risks.
“Not everybody was on board,” Trump said. “There were people within the military that said it’s unwise.”
Despite concerns, Trump authorized the mission, emphasizing the U.S. military tradition of leaving no service member behind.
As negotiations continue and the Tuesday deadline approaches, Trump’s comments suggest both diplomatic and military options remain under consideration.
Trump on his desire for US obtaining Iranian oil: “To the winner belong the spoils”
President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Monday.
President Donald Trump offered some insight into how he thinks about controlling oil in both Iran and Venezuela, as he’s said he would like to seize Iran oil: “to the winner belong the spoils.”
“If I had my choice, yeah, because I’m a businessman first,” Trump told reporters at a press conference on the US-Iran war this afternoon, when asked to further clarify his comments from earlier in the day regarding his views about seizing Iranian oil — which he had acknowledged could be a politically risky move.
“With Venezuela, as you know, the war was over in about 45 minutes,” Trump said, referring to the US operation from earlier this year that led to the ouster of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. “And we have great people running Venezuela, very good people. I mean, the relationship is good, and we are a partner with Venezuela, and we’ve taken hundreds of millions of barrels, hundreds of millions.”
Venezuela’s current interim leadership has notably indicated a willingness to sell Venezuelan oil to the United States and partner with the US more closely.
Although Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire for a reprisal of the situation in similarly oil-rich Iran, he said earlier today that he doesn’t know if Americans support such a move.
Trump says Greenland dispute sparked rift between US and NATO
President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that the US’ widening rift with NATO began when he first suggested taking over Greenland.
“It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland,” he said during a press conference. “We want Greenland. They don’t want to give it to us. And I said, ‘bye, bye.’”
Trump’s remarks came ahead of a planned White House visit later this week from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The president has railed against various NATO members for refusing to aid the US’ war with Iran, including decisions by a handful of nations to close their airspace or military bases to the US military.
“NATO is a paper tiger,” Trump said, shrugging off the prospect of the US giving away its status as the alliance’s de facto leader. “We didn’t need them, obviously, because they haven’t helped at all.”
Trump says “free traffic of oil” must be part of any potential Iran deal
Oil tankers and ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, on March 11. Altaf Qadri/AP/File
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz must be part of a proposal to end the war with Iran, President Donald Trump said.
“We have to have a deal that’s acceptable to me, and part of that deal is going to be we want free traffic of oil and everything,” he said at a news conference at the White House today.
The president also conceded that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “different” from his other objectives as negotiators work to end the war with Iran.
Trump said earlier that a proposal put forth by other countries for a 45-day ceasefire was “not good enough.” The ceasefire plan is viewed as a last-ditch effort to stave off the massive strikes on Iranian power plants and other infrastructure that Trump has threatened if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
Asked by CNN’s Kristen Holmes whether he would accept a deal that did not include opening the strait or whether that is now a priority, Trump said, “I would say it’s a very big priority.”
The president also said he is not sure whether Tehran has the ability to drop mines in the Strait of Hormuz anymore.
“They don’t have any mine-droppers anymore,” he said. “I’m not even sure they have any mines there, by the way. … I think there might be none because they’re very good bullsh*t artists.”
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