Donald Trump issued a sharp warning on Truth Social on April 5, 2026, saying Iran had until April 7 to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or the United States would target Iranian power plants and bridges. The post, written in unusually aggressive language, was quickly amplified by major media outlets and added to concerns that the confrontation around Iran could escalate further.
The report notes that the Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20% of global oil supply, making it one of the most critical chokepoints in the energy system. Iran’s disruption or closure of the route was described as retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes under “Operation Epic Fury,” a military campaign that began in late February 2026. Any prolonged disruption there could reshape oil pricing, inflation expectations, and broader risk sentiment across global markets.
Deadline and military threat
According to the article, Trump’s message set April 7 as the final deadline. If Iran failed to clear the waterway by then, he said U.S. forces would strike Iranian energy and infrastructure targets. The report also points out that Trump had already delivered several ultimatums during the conflict, and some earlier deadlines passed without full Iranian compliance, making this latest warning part of a broader pressure campaign rather than an isolated statement.
The timing of the post drew added attention because it was published on Easter Sunday and ended with “Praise be Allah,” adding to the controversy around its tone. For markets, statements like these matter because they can immediately influence oil prices, safe-haven demand, and expectations for macro volatility.
Claim of arms deliveries through Kurdish channels
At around the same time, Trump gave a roughly 15-minute interview to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, where he said the U.S. had secretly sent weapons to anti-regime protesters in Iran earlier in 2026. He stated that the weapons were sent through Kurdish channels and suggested that the Kurds may have kept them instead of passing them on.
Trump also claimed that Iranian security forces had killed about 45,000 protesters during crackdowns earlier in the year. The article frames this as part of a wider U.S. effort to weaken the Iranian regime from within. It also notes that Kurdish forces control territory near the Iranian border, making them a possible logistical channel. However, the report does not present independent evidence to verify those claims.
Diplomacy, oil, and broader market implications
In the same interview, Trump said there was still a “good chance” of reaching a diplomatic agreement with Iran by April 6. At the same time, he warned that if no deal emerged quickly, the U.S. could “blow everything up and take the oil.” He also referenced the possibility of limited amnesty for Iranian negotiators. That mix of diplomatic signaling and military escalation underlines how fluid the situation remains.
The report further says U.S. and Israeli forces had already struck Iranian naval assets, air force facilities, missile sites, and military command targets during the campaign, while Iran responded with missile and drone attacks in addition to closing the strait. It also mentions signs of instability inside Iran, including the deaths of senior officials and the emergence of a new regime president reportedly seeking a ceasefire. For crypto markets, any further jump in energy prices and geopolitical risk could feed into volatility expectations, global liquidity assumptions, and short-term price action in bitcoin and other digital assets.