U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters about the helipad being constructed on the South Lawn, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
President Donald Trump's threat to unleash "economic D-Day" against countries doing business with Iran horrified some of his critics on Wednesday.
"No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me. TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale. Their navy is gone, their air force is destroyed, their military factories are now rubble, their currency is worthless, and their country is hanging by a thread."
The post was made at a time when negotiations between the U.S. and Iran had completely stalled. Meanwhile, Trump has struggled to gather international support for the strikes on Iran, and he threatened U.S. allies with economic punishments if they did not go along for the ride.
"These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide," Trump wrote. "IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON."
The president's threats horrified some of the president's critics.
"This is terrifying. Our president is insane," Jennifer Erin Valent, an award-winning author, posted on X.
"I guess the other empty threats weren’t working; otherwise, he would have just followed through on his threats. Now we’re on to more “throw something at the wall and see if it finally gets him out of the debacle he started” strategies. He’s completely out of his element here (if he even has an element that isn’t grifting or being a moron)," Camille Mackenzie, a conservative political consultant, wrote on X.
"If he actually enforced this, it would mean sanctioning Russia. And given he has no interest in sanctioning his boss, it’s just more hot air from Trump," Adam Cochran, a professor and policy consultant, posted on X.