US politicians from both sides of the aisle have reacted with alarm to President Donald Trump's abusive, expletive-laden threat to Iran on his Truth Social platform. Trump wrote: 'Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.'
The threat comes as the Trump administration hurtles towards a self-imposed deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for oil and gas that has been effectively shut since the US and Israel launched war on Iran in late February. Trump has threatened Tehran with several deadlines and has also threatened to withdraw from Nato over European allies' refusal to intervene.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump ally turned critic, said the president had 'gone insane' and called on Christians in his administration to 'beg forgiveness from God'. She argued the strait is closed because the US and Israel started an 'unprovoked war' based on 'nuclear lies'. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer described Trump's rant as that of 'an unhinged madman', while Bernie Sanders called it 'dangerous and mentally unbalanced'. Senator Chris Murphy said invoking the 25th Amendment should be considered.
Iran has stated it will only open the strait after receiving compensation for war damages via a new legal regime based on transit fees. Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy for communications at the Iranian president's office, said Trump had 'resorted to obscenities and nonsense out of sheer desperation and anger'.
