Donald Trump's latest Truth Social post, a sweary ultimatum to Iran, has been described as so bizarre that it could be mistaken for a hoax. The 45-word rant, posted ahead of his Monday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, was analysed by body language and communication expert Judi James, who identified four key moments that suggest the US president is losing his grip.
The post read: "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*****’ Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP." James noted the inappropriate use of commas, the capitalisation of the expletive, the archaic term 'b******s', and the ironic reference to Allah as elements that make the message appear fake.
James told the Mirror: "The first response to this is that it is a hoax. Trump excels in stream-of-consciousness communications but this one is a stand-out showstopper." She added that the post reads as full of anger, with punctuation and elegant language shelved, contrasting with the calm, calculated communication typical of politics.
Hours after Trump's post, Iran's mission to the UN responded on X, calling the open threats to target civilian infrastructure "a direct and public incitement to terrorise civilians and clear evidence of intent to commit war crime." They urged the international community to act, stating: "They must act now. Tomorrow is too late."
Trump later provided details of the rescue of a US service member he identified as a "respected colonel" who was missing after Iran shot down a US F-15E Strike Eagle on Friday. The president described the operation as rarely attempted due to potential dangers, noting a second crew member was rescued earlier in daylight.
