Trump Escalates Threats to Iran

Summary

Big Take – Podcast Summary Title: Trump Ratchets Up Iran Threat With One-Day Countdown
Date: April 6, 2026
Host: Sarah Holder
Guest: Courtney Subrahmanian (Bloomberg White House Correspondent)

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Overview of the Episode

This episode unpacks the rapidly escalating crisis between the US and Iran, focusing on President Trump's public threats to attack Iran’s civilian infrastructure unless Iran opens the critical Strait of Hormuz. With a one-day deadline looming, Sarah Holder and Courtney Subrahmanian analyze the rhetoric from both sides, the state of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the implications for US allies and rivals, and the potential economic and political fallout—both in the US and globally.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Ultimatum & Escalating Rhetoric

• President Trump has threatened (multiple times, in blunt language) to attack civilian bridges and power plants in Iran if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened (01:58, 02:20).
  • Quote: “We’re giving them till tomorrow, 8 o’clock Eastern Time. And after that they’re going to have no bridges, they’re going to have no power plants.” – Donald Trump (01:58)
• These threats are highly alarming internationally, as targeting civilian infrastructure would violate the Geneva Conventions and could be classified as war crimes (04:32).
• Trump’s approach is at odds with stated Israeli objectives, which have involved keeping some state infrastructure intact for stability and opposition movements in Iran (04:32).

2. The Strategic Importance of the Strait of Hormuz

• The Strait is central for both Iran’s leverage and global oil supply, making it a flashpoint.
• Trump explicitly wants the “spoils” of victory to go to the US, suggesting the US should collect shipping tolls instead of Iran (07:52).
  • Quote: “Why shouldn’t we? We’re the winner.” – Donald Trump (08:07)
• Both the US and Iran are dug in on their positions regarding control of the strait, making compromise difficult in the tight timeline Trump has imposed (06:57, 08:18).

3. State of Negotiations and Diplomatic Breakdown

• Trump claims talks are progressing, but the shifting deadlines suggest the opposite. The administration appears farther from an exit than previous rhetoric implied (03:58, 06:57).
• Attempts at a ceasefire: The US proposed a 45-day temporary ceasefire, but Iran rejected it, demanding a permanent end to the conflict (09:07).
• Communications are happening through indirect channels, and both sides’ public statements are likely unreliable until the ultimatum deadline passes (09:34).

4. Iran’s Likely Response and Erosion of Trust

• Iran has stated it will retaliate if the US strikes civilian infrastructure, potentially targeting US interests in the region or even at home (05:56).
• Iran’s trust in American negotiators has been eroded, especially after past experiences like Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the sudden US-Israeli attacks during negotiations (10:18, 10:41).
• Vice President JD Vance has become more involved in negotiations, alongside Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner (10:41).

5. Role of Regional and Global Players

• Israel is a key factor: For any deal to last, Israeli buy-in is necessary. Israel continues military operations against Iran, and the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu is close but nuanced (11:31).
• Gulf States are desperate for a resolution due to economic pressure from the Strait’s closure and regional instability, but they lack serious leverage or an active seat at the table (12:58, 13:09).
• NATO allies have refused to become directly involved, and Trump has threatened to withdraw from the alliance, with the upcoming meeting with Secretary General Mark Rutte seen as pivotal (21:12, 21:39).

6. US Domestic Politics and Economic Impact

• Trump campaigned on ending foreign wars, yet the Iran conflict is intensifying.
• His core supporters remain loyal, but there’s growing anxiety within the broader Republican Party due to the war’s longevity and mounting economic costs as oil prices rise (18:05, 18:19, 19:50, 20:01).
• Trump’s request for a record $1.5 trillion military budget, alongside deep domestic cuts, is expected to be highly controversial heading into the November elections (20:45, 21:00).

7. Military Developments

• The US successfully conducted a large-scale rescue of two pilots shot down in Iran, which both sides spun as victories bolstering morale and willingness to continue the conflict (16:43, 17:16).
• Both US and Iranian military capabilities remain significant barriers to a negotiated off-ramp (17:16).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump on his ultimatum:
  • “We’re giving them till tomorrow, 8 o’ clock Eastern Time. And after that they’re going to have no bridges, they’re going to have no power plants.” (Donald Trump, 01:58)
• On civilian targets:
  • “He specifically laid out a scenario in which the US could bomb civilian bridges, energy infrastructure, and said that these bridges would be burning... That would be a violation of the Geneva Conventions and would be considered a war crime.” (Courtney Subrahmanian, 04:32)
• On economic stakes:
  • “We have reported that the administration is even looking into modeling if oil prices jumped to 150 to $200 a barrel. That does not line up with the economic message that Republicans are pushing ahead of November.” (Courtney Subrahmanian, 20:01)
• On NATO:
  • “Iran has been almost a bridge too far for many of these countries who are not willing to follow the President down this path, especially as there is no clear end in sight at this point despite these negotiations, which have dragged on, frankly, for weeks.” (Courtney Subrahmanian, 21:39)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s ultimatum and threats to civilian infrastructure: 01:58–04:32
• Iran’s likely retaliation and rationale: 05:41–05:56
• Strait of Hormuz: strategic tug-of-war: 06:37–08:18
• Ceasefire negotiations and breakdown: 09:07–10:18
• Iran’s perspective on trust and negotiations: 10:18–10:41
• Israel’s role and coordination: 11:31–12:58
• Involvement and position of Gulf States: 12:58–13:57
• US rescue mission and military balance: 16:43–17:16
• Domestic political implications and polling: 18:05–21:12
• NATO, global allies, and Trump’s diplomatic leverage: 21:12–21:39

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Conclusion

Host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg’s Courtney Subrahmanian provide an urgent, deeply contextual look at the US-Iran crisis as a critical deadline approaches. The episode breaks down the hardline positions, the pitfalls of Trump’s maximum-pressure strategy, and the consequences for international stability, the global economy, and US domestic politics. With uncertainty at every turn, the episode suggests the administration’s brinkmanship risks spiraling conflict with little diplomatic progress, rising economic strain, and mounting international isolation.

For those who haven’t listened, this episode is a comprehensive primer on the state of US-Iran relations at a moment of extreme peril, blending real-time analysis with astute political and historical perspective.

Transcript

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[Donald Trump]

giving them till tomorrow, 8 o' clock Eastern Time. And after that they're going to have no bridges, they're going to have no power plants.

[Sarah Holder]

8pm Eastern time on Tuesday is the latest deadline Trump has given Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic in an effort to ease oil price shocks rippling around the globe.

[Donald Trump]

They asked for an extension of seven days, right? I said, Steve, give them 10 days. 10 days is up actually today. So I gave him 11. I guess indirectly I thought it was inappropriate the day after Easter.

[Sarah Holder]

As the clock ticks on that ultimatum, Trump deflected questions about the potential of a ceasefire.

[Donald Trump]

I can't talk about ceasefire, but I can tell you that we have a active, willing participant on the other side. They would like to be able to make a deal.

[Sarah Holder]

This morning, Iranian state media reported that Iran had rejected a US Proposal for a temporary ceasefire and that it instead wants a permanent end to the war. After weeks of mixed messages, Trump's press conference provided little new clarity on where the conflict could go from here with a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz with or more destruction.

[Donald Trump]

Do I want to destroy their infrastructure? No. It will take them 100 years to rebuild right now. If we left today, it would take them 20 years to rebuild their country and it would never be as good as it was. And the only way they're going to be able to rebuild their country is to utilize the genius of the United States of America.

[Sarah Holder]

I'm Sarah Holder and this is the big take from Bloomberg News today on the show. Trump's threats on Iran are escalating and his deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz is looming. I speak with Bloomberg White House correspondent Courtney Subrahmanian to unpack the state of negotiations between the US And Iran and what comes next.

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

This all to me suggested that maybe the administration is not as close to an exit as the President has projected over the past couple weeks.

[Sarah Holder]

In a post over the weekend and in a press conference today, Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike civilian infrastructure targets, bridges, power plants. Courtney, can you put into context for us just how extreme these threats are?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

He specifically laid out a scenario in which the US could bomb civilian bridges, energy infrastructure, and said that these bridges would be burning, it would be gone by 12 o' clock tomorrow if Iran was not willing to meet the deadline that he set and meet the ultimatum of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. And of course, that raises a lot of alarm bells around the world. That would be a violation of the Geneva Conventions and would be considered a war crime. Israel in particular, I think, is a big question mark over this supposed threat, especially because they have said recently that a part of their objectives was that they wanted to leave a functioning state for the opposition to take control of. They wanted to give the Iranian people a reason to fight for the state and push back against the power structures. And so going after these civilian targets would be a misalignment with the Israeli objectives, which the has said they are in complete coordination and an alignment with Israel.

[Sarah Holder]

On does this potential for US Escalation open the door to a new level of response from Iran? What can you expect Iran to do if the US Targets civilian infrastructure or even threatens to do so?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

They have said they would retaliate. And if you look at some of the reasoning and the rationale from the US as to why they launched this military campaign, they painted Iran as The world's number one terrorist, a terrorist state that has constantly targeted the US over the last few decades. And I think that especially given their objectives, which is survival at this point, we should expect to see some sort of retaliation, whether that is on U.S. soil or on U.S. military bases in the Gulf region.

[Sarah Holder]

One of the key leverage points in this war for Iran and one of the key priorities for the Trump administration right now is the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has been trying to get Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, issuing a series of ultimatums to the country over the past few weeks. What message does that shifting timeline send Iran?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

You know, the president has said that he thinks talks are going well in a series of interviews he's done with reporters over the last 24 hours. The idea is to buy more time because he has escalated these threats so much. The problem is the Strait of Hormuz is such a point of contention, particularly because Iran sees that as one of their biggest leverage points in these negotiations, in this entire war. This is something they economically are benefiting from, of course, but also it's allowing them to drag on this conflict. And the U.S. of course, would like to see Iran give up control of that strait in order to move forward. And I think they are just at exact opposite ends of agreement on who should control the Strait of Hormuz.

[Sarah Holder]

Trump's press conference really brought that into relief. Trump said that the spoils, quote, unquote, should go to the victor in Iran, which he said was the US and that instead of Iran charging ships to transit the Strait, it should be the US Collecting the tolls.

[Donald Trump]

I'd rather do that than let them have them run. Why shouldn't we? We're the winner.

[Sarah Holder]

How do you solve that disagreement over who should collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz in a day?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

I don't think you can. The problem here is Trump views everything through the Venezuela model, which he again referenced today. Right. This extraction of Nicolas Maduro and then going in and working with the remaining government and definitely taking over industry is not really a model that you can replicate in a country as big as Iran, in a region where this industry is so vital and critical to the countries around it and involves so many players, regional players. But the president doesn't seem to see that. And I think it's going to take more than a day to find common ground between these two sides.

[Sarah Holder]

Well, let's talk about the state of negotiations right now, because Axios had reported that there were discussions about reaching a potential 45 day ceasefire between the US and Iran. But this morning, Iranian state media reported that Iran rejected a U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire and that it instead wants a permanent end to the war. Where does this all leave negotiations and talks with just a day on the clock before the President's latest deadline?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

White House officials have said this is one of many ideas on the table that the President is considering, which I think is probably true for any set of negotiations this administration has been through with regard to other conflicts. But we also have heard from Iran in different points in this conflict where they have refuted some of the messaging we've seen out of Washington. I mean, these conversations are happening, you know, behind the scenes through text messages, through phone calls. So I think it is hard to take either side at face value at this point until we get to this deadline and see what the US Is willing to do, whether or not Tehran is meeting their ultimatum at this point.

[Sarah Holder]

Right. Iran has seen Trump pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear deal that was worked out between the US And Iran this year. The US And Israel attacked Iran while negotiations with the country appeared to be ongoing. So I'm wondering, from Iran's perspective, how does that context weigh on them as these talks move forward? Why believe that this round of negotiations will be different?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

The US has used this playbook before. We've seen them talk about negotiation, characterize it or mischaracterize it as going well and then going into an action that the administration wants to take anyway. From Tehran's perspective, this could all be a replay of what happened last June when the US Decided to attack, attack Iran's nuclear facilities. There's just been an erosion of trust with the President's negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, his son in law, which is probably why we've seen Vice President JD Vance enter the negotiations. He's also been speaking on behalf of the administration and taking a much more prominent role this time.

[Sarah Holder]

And Courtney, where is Israel in all this? Can any deal be meaningful for Iran without Israel's cooperation or sign on?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

That's one of the biggest questions to me. I think they're one of the biggest puzzle pieces in putting this all together. As you mentioned, any deal that the President's negotiators work out needs to be coordinated with Israel, who has, by the way, continued attacking even into this week, even into today. But he does have a very close relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And we did hear from Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday that he was in contact. He had called the President to congratulate him on the search and rescue efforts of the two fighter pilots whose jet was downed in Iran. Netanyahu has been very clear that he has an open and frank relationship with President Trump and he has talked about the military objectives for Israel. I think that they have been mostly aligned with the US on guaranteeing that Iran could never receive a nuclear weapon, that they want to cease their missile program. But again, these are huge points of contention that Tehran has not come close to agreeing to. So where the status of these negotiations are at is still a question to be answered.

[Sarah Holder]

What about other Gulf states? What kind of guarantees would they want out of a potential ceasefire deal or a permanent and to the war? And do they have a seat at the negotiating table?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

We've seen the Gulf states being pushed closer to the US Mostly because they don't have an option. They are probably pretty desperate for an off ramp as well, especially with the closing of the strait and some of the economic ramifications we've seen. But also even the attacks from Tehran on the region and on these countries. I think they are all pushing for some sort of last ditch effort to achieve a ceasefire in these final hours of the President's deadline. But the question is, you know, whether they will be successful in convincing the President to find some common ground.

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[Sarah Holder]

Much of President Trump's Monday press conference was devoted to celebrating the success of a US mission to rescue the two airmen whose jet was shot down last

[Donald Trump]

week in Iran, one of the largest, most complex, most harrowing combat searches, I guess you would call it, a search and rescue mission ever attempted by the military.

[Sarah Holder]

What is this episode, the shooting down of the jet in the first place and the rescue mission. Tell us about how the US's military operations are going and Iran's military capabilities.

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

You know, the US sees this search and rescue effort and the successful rescue of these two pilots as an affirmation of US forces and the military campaign. And Iran sees the downing of a US jet as a success as well. It's a question of survival. And you know, as much as the President said they have obliterated their Navy, their air force, Iran still has the capabilities to put up a fight. And I think that is one of the central problems with finding an off ramp here. So it's given both sides a reason to keep going and no reason to find a way out.

[Sarah Holder]

It all is a Reminder that Trump campaigned on getting out of forever wars. So I'm wondering how this latest chapter in the Iran war, more than a month in, is playing with Trump's base.

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

Polling has told us that a lot of the President's supporters, his core base supporters, are with him, which is something we've seen, you know, throughout his first term and second. But there is a real mismatch with what the President promised coming into office, coming into politics. Right. This was a man who very much said was against foreign intervention, was against dragging the US into new conflicts. But a lot of Republicans within his party have really questioned his decisions on dragging this war out, especially as we get closer to November. A lot of previous elections have told us that most US voters lock in their opinions by early summer, ahead of midterm elections. That's getting pretty close. And we still have no idea about whether the US will hold to these timelines that the President has promised, particularly because he keeps extending them. So, you know, if gasoline prices are still increasing, if, you know, the President is talking about the war in Iran instead of talking about tackling the housing crisis or talking about his economic agenda, then I think there's going to be real questions about whether his party is going to be successful in November.

[Sarah Holder]

Yeah, the base seems to be loyal to Trump even through the Iran war. But the majority of Americans, according to CNN and Fox Polling, disapprove of this war.

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

Republicans are extremely anxious about this war, especially as it drags on the deadline of how long he said this would the Americans would have to endure. The economic implications of this war are fast approaching and oil prices are not coming down. We have reported that the administration is even looking into modeling if oil prices jumped to 150 to $200 a barrel. That does not line up with the economic message that Republicans are pushing ahead of November.

[Sarah Holder]

And the Trump administration has asked for $1.5 trillion for the department of Defense in its next budget, which would be a record amount of spending. So that just speaks to the amount of resources that the Trump administration wants to expend on this war, especially when

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

they're cutting funding for domestic programs and some of the agencies like housing. Right. That is a huge issue and will be a huge issue in November.

[Sarah Holder]

Lastly, Courtney, I want to ask about support for this war on the international stage. Trump has asked the US's NATO allies to get involved in the Iran war. They haven't. He's threatened to withdraw from the alliance. He's criticized the alliance. Trump has. Trump is scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rotte later this week and Trump often talks about who has the best cards to play. I'm wondering who holds the cards here.

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

I mean, ultimately the President does. I think he's proven through and through at several points when he's gone after our NATO allies and questioned their role and their commitments. You know that they always end up coming to Washington to try and convince him of the importance of the NATO alliance and why it's critical that the U.S. stay in this alliance. Which is why I think we are seeing Mark Rutte come to the US this week to try and again educate the President, charm him as he has in the past and convince him that even though there is great trepidation about the size and scope of this campaign and involvement, that that does not detract from the US Allies commitment to the US But I think Iran has been almost a bridge too far for many of these countries who are not willing to follow the President down this path, especially as there is no clear end in sight at this point despite these negotiations, which have dragged on, frankly, for weeks.

[Sarah Holder]

This is the Big Take from Bloomberg News. I'm Sarah Holder. To get more from the Big Take and unlimited access to all of bloomberg.com subscribe [e-mail] podcastoffer if you like this episode, make sure to subscribe and review the Big Take. Wherever you listen to podcasts, it helps people find the show. Thanks for listening. We'll be back tomorrow.

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[Sarah Holder]

Robach alongside TJ Holmes from the Amy TJ podcast.

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And there is so much news, information, commentary coming at you all day and from all over the place.

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

What's fact, what's fake, and sometimes what

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[Sarah Holder]

And listen to Amy and TJ on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hi, I'm Iris Palmer, host of the

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

Against All Odds podcast.

[Sarah Holder]

Every week, I'm sitting down with exceptional people who have broken barriers even when the odds were stacked against them, like Chef Victor Villa of Villa's Tacos. You know, the taquero from the Bad Bunny halftime show?

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

It was great. It was. Was a big moment. It was special. And I felt like I was really representing my family, you know, my brand, my city. I was representing all taqueros, not only of, like, you know, the U.S. but of Mexico and beyond, all the taqueros of the world.

[Sarah Holder]

Listen to Against all odds on the

[Courtney Subrahmanian]

iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.