Petulant President Donald Trump has melted down over a minute-long ABC News segment about his disastrous war in the Middle East.
The network’s chief White House correspondent, Mary Bruce, reported on Tuesday evening that the Trump administration was looking to “turn up the economic pressure” on Iran as the two countries traded military strikes for the first time since June.
Bruce was referring to comments made by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during an earlier interview with FOX Business’ Larry Kudlow at the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.
Bessent said the U.S. would target countries that support Iran, and freeze assets belonging to officials, as well as banks and offshore accounts. He called this “economic asphyxiation.”
Appearing on World News Tonight with David Muir, Bruce said that showed clearly what the White House wanted to achieve. “The Trump administration is trying to turn up the economic pressure on Iran,” she said.
“Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying they are going to, quote, ‘economically asphyxiate Iran and force them to the bargaining table,’” she added, triggering Trump’s ire.
Not long after the broadcast, the 80-year-old president posted on Truth Social, denying the report and appearing to contradict Bessent’s comments. “I’m not trying to force Iran to the bargaining table, as ABC Fake News reported,” he said.
“I couldn’t care less if they sign a worthless, to them, agreement. I like our position now much better, with almost total control of the Hormuz Strait, and their economy totally collapsing. They are just playing out the inevitable. When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?” he added.
Trump’s post ended with his usual sign-off—“President DJT”—although his Truth Social posts are mostly written and sent by his $150,000-a-year assistant, Natalie Harp, 35.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that Tehran was prepared to “reciprocate” if the United States returns to the terms of the June ceasefire agreement negotiated by the two countries.
Bruce also noted the escalation in fighting. On Sunday, the U.S. carried out rocket strikes on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command said it launched “precise action” against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to prevent it from placing mines in the vital shipping route.
Tehran responded by attacking two U.S. bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles. Iran also claimed that it targeted an air base in the UAE with drones, although these claims were denied by the nation’s Ministry of Defense.
On Monday, in a Truth Social post just after 8 a.m. ET, the president described Iran as “officially a Failed Nation. IT IS DEAD!”
He followed up on Tuesday, saying that the U.S. was hitting targets near the Strait of Hormuz “in retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines” to the waterway, and “shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan.”
He warned: “If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!”
