Key Takeaways:
- Trump threatened to strike Iranian power plants and bridges on April 7 if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
- The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of global oil supply, putting energy markets at risk during Operation Epic Fury.
- Trump told Fox News the U.S. sent weapons to Iranian protesters via Kurdish channels, estimating Iran killed 45,000 demonstrators.
Trump Warns Iran on Easter Sunday: Open Strait or Lose Power Plants by Tuesday
The post, published on April 5, 2026, read in full: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F**kin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” The post appeared on his official Truth Social account and was immediately picked up by several major media outlets.
The message sets April 7, 2026, as the deadline. If Iran has not cleared the Strait of Hormuz by then, Trump indicated the U.S. military will target Iranian energy and infrastructure.
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply. Iran has blocked or severely disrupted shipping through the waterway in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes conducted as part of Operation Epic Fury, a military campaign that began in late February 2026.
Trump has issued multiple prior ultimatums throughout the conflict. Some deadlines have passed without full Iranian compliance. This post, written on a major Christian holiday and closing with “Praise be to Allah,” drew immediate attention for its profanity and tone.
Trump: ‘We Sent Guns to the Protesters’
Separately, Trump gave a roughly 15-minute interview to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst around the same time. In that interview, he confirmed the U.S. had covertly sent weapons to anti-regime Iranian protesters earlier in 2026.
“We sent guns to the protesters, a lot of them,” Trump told Yingst. “We sent them through the Kurds. And I think the Kurds kept them.”
Trump also stated that Iranian security forces killed approximately 45,000 demonstrators during protests that were suppressed earlier this year. The protests were part of broader internal pressure on the Iranian government during the ongoing conflict.
The weapons delivery through Kurdish channels fits into a wider U.S. effort to weaken the Iranian regime from within. Kurdish forces hold territory along the Iranian border and have served as a logistics channel for various operations in the region.
During the Fox interview, Trump also said there is a “good chance” of a diplomatic deal with Iran by Monday, April 6. He added that if no agreement is reached quickly, the U.S. may “blow everything up and take over the oil.” He mentioned limited amnesty for Iranian negotiators.
U.S. and Israeli forces have already struck Iranian naval assets, air force installations, missile sites, and military leadership targets throughout the campaign. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks in addition to the Strait closure.
Reports from inside Iran cite regime instability, including the deaths of senior leadership figures and the emergence of a new regime president reportedly seeking a ceasefire.
Trump has previously stated that strikes will continue or escalate until the strait is “open, free, and clear.”