Trump threatens to take out Iran in 'one night' if deal is not done

6th Apr 2026 22:18

(Sharecast News) - Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran could be taken out by the US in "one night" if it does not make a deal to end the conflict and reopen the vital strait of Hormuz.

At a White House press conference outlining the rescue mission for the two US servicemen who ejected from an F-15 fighter jet, Trump said the US could take out the whole of Iran "in one night and that night could be tomorrow night".

The US president was referring to the deadline he has given Iran to reopen the strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the world's oil supply travels. If Iran does not reopen the strait by 20:00 Eastern Time on Tuesday (01:00 BST on Wednesday) Trump has threatened major attacks against the country's energy and transport infrastructure.

Commenting on how the US war with Iran is going, Trump said: "We're doing unbelievably well."

Asked about a potential ceasefire with Iran, Trump said the US has an "active willing participant on the other side that would like to be able to make a deal".

One reporter asked whether Trump was worried that his threat to burn power plants and bridges in Iran could amount to war crimes, but he said: "No, not at all. No. No, no. I hope I don't have to do it."

In response to a question about whether he was winding down the war or escalating it, Trump doubled down on his threat to take out Iran's energy infrastructure.

"I can't tell you. I don't know. It depends what they do," he said. "This is a critical period. They have a period of well, until tomorrow at eight o'clock. I gave them an extension. They asked for an extension of seven days...I gave them 11 actually. I thought it was inappropriate the day after Easter. I want to be a nice person.

"They have until tomorrow and we'll see what happens. I can tell you they're negotiating we think in good faith. We're going to find out. We're getting the help of some incredible countries that want this to be ended because it affects them also.

"A lot of people are affected by this but we're giving them until tomorrow eight o'clock eastern time and after that they're going to have no bridges, they're going to have no power plants...Stone ages, yeah, stone ages."

Trump was asked whether he would make a deal that does not include the strait of Hormuz or whether that was now a top priority. He said: "I would say it's a very big priority."

"To close the strait all you need is one terrorist that somehow has a truck loaded with cos you can carry on the trucks large trucks a water mine, drop them in the water and now you tell people that own ships that cost a billion dollars don't worry about the mine," he said. "You can do that even just by saying we put mines in the water. So it's not like the rest."

Trump went on to say that Iran was "at the weakest point" it's ever been at. "They have no navy. They have no air force. They have no anti aircraft, weaponry. They have no radar. They have no communication," he said.

"All I want to see is I want to have a safe world and you're not going to have a safe world. Israel will be gone. The Middle East will be gone and then they're coming for Europe. And I have to tell you I'm very disappointed in Nato. Very. I think it's a mark on Nato that will never disappear."

Asked if he was willing to end the conflict with Iran charging tolls for passengers through the strait, Trump said: "What about us charging tolls?

"I'd rather do that then let them have it, right? Why shouldn't we? We're the winner. We won, OK. They are militarily defeated. The only thing they have is the psychology of 'oh we're gonna drop a couple of mines in the water', alright.

"We have a concept where we'll charge tolls."

One reporter asked if in order for Iran to successfully meet the US deadline on Tuesday they have to make a deal, open the strait or both. 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 else."

Trump went on to threaten the decimation of every bridge in Iran.

"We have a plan - because of the power of our military - where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o'clock tomorrow night. Where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again. I mean complete demolition by 12 o'clock and it will happen over a period of four hours if we want it to," he said.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day at the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll, Trump said the latest proposal for a US ceasefire with Iran was "not good enough".

"They made a proposal, and it's a significant proposal. It's a significant step," Trump said. "It's not good enough, but it's a very significant step.

"They're negotiating now, and they've made a very significant step. We'll see what happens."