Trump Sets 8 p.m. Deadline for Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz, Threatens Strikes on Infrastructure

President Donald Trump issued a brief but unmistakable public deadline Sunday on his Truth Social platform — “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” — reiterating a warning he delivered in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz by that hour or face U.S. strikes on its infrastructure.

In the Wall Street Journal interview, Trump said: “If they don’t do something by Tuesday evening, they won’t have any power plants and they won’t have any bridges standing.” Earlier Sunday on Truth Social he had threatened infrastructure attacks against Iran without specifying a precise hour. In an additional post hours before the deadline was given, Trump referred to Iranian leaders as “crazy bastards” and warned they would be “living in Hell” if the waterway remained closed.

The deadline is the most recent in a string of ultimatums the former president has issued to Tehran. Trump initially demanded on March 21 that Iran fully reopen the strait within 48 hours and vowed to disable the country’s power grid. That window was extended twice before settling on April 6 as the firm cutoff date, according to reporting by Axios. The White House, Trump’s campaign and other U.S. officials have framed the action as a necessary step to restore freedom of navigation and stabilize global energy supplies.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis without force reportedly included indirect channels through Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey. Those diplomatic overtures did not yield a breakthrough, Axios reported. Tehran has shown no sign of acceding to Washington’s demand. Iran’s U.N. mission accused Trump of threatening war crimes, while an Iranian presidential communications official told Reuters, as cited by CNBC, that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen only under a new toll-based arrangement that included claims for war reparations.

The standoff has carried immediate economic consequences. Brent crude futures closed above $109 a barrel on Thursday, and traders said the spot price was running more than $32 higher in parts of the market because of severe physical supply shortages linked to the strait’s effective shutdown. Domestically, U.S. pump prices have climbed past $4 per gallon since the crisis began. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments, has fallen by more than 90 percent amid fears of attacks and interruption.

Analysts and foreign policy experts say the stakes are high. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime transit routes for oil, and any U.S.-Iran escalation could destabilize the broader Middle East, further disrupt energy markets, and draw in regional and global powers. Iran’s characterization of U.S. threats as potentially constituting war crimes adds a legal and diplomatic dimension to the standoff, complicating options for de-escalation.

The timeline established by Trump raises questions about the role of the U.S. military and diplomatic channels in the hours leading up to Tuesday evening. Trump is scheduled to address reporters from the White House on Monday, according to CBS News, a briefing that could clarify U.S. intentions or announce further developments. For now, both the potential for military action and the economic fallout from the strait’s closure remain immediate concerns for markets, allied capitals, and shipping operators.

As the deadline approaches, officials in Washington and global markets will be watching for any sign of Iranian movement to reopen the strait or for U.S. action to enforce the demand. The outcome will shape near-term security dynamics in the Gulf region and influence international energy prices, with broader implications for global economic stability and diplomatic relations.