Donald Trump started his day with a shouty meltdown.
The president, 80, is preparing to launch a new wave of economic sanctions on Iran and its partners after almost six months of failing to crush the Middle Eastern country militarily.
“IRAN IS COMPLETELY COLLAPSING!!!” he screamed on Truth Social at 8.41 a.m. on Monday, which his Treasury Secretary has called “economic D-Day.”
Scott Bessent is expected to introduce new “secondary” sanctions on entities that do business with Iran, which a source told Reuters was hoped to suffocate Tehran’s economy.
Bessent on Sunday wrote an op ed in the Financial Times saying that, “President Donald Trump and the overwhelming might of our military have significantly dismantled Iran’s military capabilities and weakened its nuclear program. Now we are entering the endgame. At dawn begins an economic D-Day—the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary.”
Making his threat, Bessent added, “In short, these countries calculate appeasement of the regime to be the safer course. But they would do well to consider the consequences of sustaining it… The alternative for those who tether themselves to Tehran is the foreclosure of any path to lasting prosperity.”
The administration hopes that by forcing countries assisting Iran to sever their ties with Tehran, it can bring the war to an end.
Trump rode to the White House under the promise of pulling the U.S. away from foreign interventions, but now finds himself at least $37.5 billion into a war in the Middle East that has cost 18 Americans their lives.
It has also seen service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln pushed to the limit amid reports of challenging conditions during a grueling deployment that has lasted more than 250 days and seen them locked into the fight since bombs first fell on February 28.
It has also raised fears that munitions stockpiles are running low.
Costly strike weapons and air defense interceptors have been of particular concern, and while the Center for Strategic and International Studies says supplies shouldn’t run out during the conflict, it could have long-term consequences for the U.S.’s ability to fight future wars.
Pressure to bring the war to an end remains on the White House. As the midterms approach, the issue on everyone’s lips is the economy, but polling suggests that Americans are far from impressed by what they’ve seen so far from Trump.
For the first time in almost a decade, Democrats are the preferred stewards of the economy over the GOP. This has sparked fears among Republicans that the elections will become a referendum on Trump that could end up costing them seats.
The war in Iran isn’t helping. Beyond the eye-watering sums spent on weapons, the affordability crisis at home is compounded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is directly linked to rising gas prices and anticipated costs tied to fertilizer holdups.
