President Donald Trump said on Sunday April 5th that the ongoing conflict with Iran should conclude in days, not weeks, and warned that without a deal, the United States would bomb the entire country.
Trump made the statements in an interview with ABC News White House Correspondent Rachel Scott. He denied that American ground troops are necessary at this time but did not rule them out completely.
“I don’t think it’s necessary but I don’t rule anything out,” Trump told Scott.
The comments followed a Truth Social post Trump made earlier on Easter Sunday. In the post, he 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 Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell, just watch! Praise be to Allah.”
The post demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil that has been blocked amid the fighting.
Trump Shortens Timeline for End of Conflict
In the ABC interview, Trump said the conflict with Iran, which began on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, could wrap up quickly if Iran agrees to terms.
“It should be wrapped up in days because no sane group of people could stand the punishment that’s going to rain down on them if it’s not,” he said.
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He added that there might be a deal soon or there might not be. “There could be a deal, and there could also not be a deal. I don’t know. I have no idea with these people, they’re getting the shit beat out of them, and that’s, that’s all I can tell you. There’s been no country that’s ever taken a pounding like that.”
When asked if he would extend any deadline for Iran to reach an agreement, Trump replied that he did not want to discuss it. “They have plenty of time to make a deal. If they don’t want to make a deal their whole country is gone,” he said.
Trump also described his outreach to NATO allies regarding the Strait of Hormuz as a test. “This was a test for NATO, I didn’t need them, but I wanted to test them,” he told Scott. He said NATO responded that it could not get involved, and he did not push hard. “They’re a paper tiger,” he said.
Trump Denies Sending Ground Troops to Iran
Trump directly addressed questions about ground troops, stating he does not see them as needed right now despite reports of U.S. Marines and other forces deploying to the Gulf region in recent weeks.
The U.S. has carried out airstrikes on Iranian military sites, missile facilities, and infrastructure since late February. Iran has launched missiles in response, and a U.S. F-15 pilot was rescued in a special operations mission inside Iran earlier this weekend.
Also Read: Trump Sends Strikes Warning to Iran Over Strait of Hormuz
In the interview, Trump emphasized air and other strikes over ground operations. “If happens, it happens. And if it doesn’t, we’re blowing up the whole country,” he said when discussing the possibility of a deal. He told Scott that “very little” is off the table in terms of targets.
Why This Matters
The remarks come as the war enters its sixth week. U.S. and Israeli forces have hit hundreds of targets across Iran, including missile launchers, defense sites, and industrial facilities. Iran has reported significant damage and casualties from the strikes.
Trump’s statements raise the stakes for any negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and the broader conflict. The waterway carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Its closure has already affected global energy markets.
Further escalation, including expanded bombing or any ground involvement, could widen the fighting in the Middle East and increase risks to shipping, energy prices, and regional stability.
Trump has tied the end of the conflict to Iran meeting U.S. demands, with Tuesday now referenced as a potential date for intensified strikes on power plants and bridges.
