Senior Democratic lawmakers sharply condemned President Donald Trump on Sunday after he threatened to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants if Tehran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.
Trump had posted on his Truth Social platform early Sunday morning, warning Iran of severe strikes on its civilian infrastructure. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” he wrote, adding an expletive-laden demand to reopen the Strait.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) was among the sharpest critics. “Trump is calling reporters today to tell them he is going to commit mass war crimes next week,” he wrote on X. “GOP leaders need to stop him. Never mind that blowing up bridges and power plants and killing innocent Iranians won’t reopen the Strait. It’s also a clear war crime.”
Murphy pressed further, writing that Trump “isn’t even pretending to choose military targets” and is willing to “kill tens of thousands of civilians in order to cause a national panic.” He added that even destroying a fraction of Iran’s infrastructure “will kill thousands of innocent people who work in those power plants and travel on the nation’s roads.” Murphy closed with a direct call: “GOP leaders should call Congress back into session this week to end this war.”
Bipartisan Alarm
The backlash was not confined to Democrats. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a longtime Trump ally, wrote on X that the president “has gone insane,” urging administration officials to intervene.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Trump was “ranting like an unhinged madman.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called the rhetoric “disgusting and unhinged.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) urged Congress to act immediately.
Escalating Conflict
The threats came as Strait of Hormuz shipping restrictions continued driving energy prices higher. The average U.S. price for a gallon of regular gasoline hit $4.11 on Sunday, according to AAA. Since U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began on February 28, more than 1,600 Iranian civilians have been killed, including at least 244 children, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Regional mediators, including Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish envoys, are pushing for a 45-day ceasefire, with indirect negotiations ongoing between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Disclaimer: This content was produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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