President Donald Trump warned Monday that a “whole civilization will die tonight” unless Iran agrees to a deal to end the ongoing war. The president set a deadline of 8 p.m. EDT for Tehran to capitulate, threatening widespread destruction of the country's energy resources and critical infrastructure if terms are not met.
Trump told reporters that Iran wants to reach an agreement. He claimed U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, held talks on Sunday with an Iranian leader to facilitate a breakthrough.
Escalating regional hostilities
The threat comes as the conflict continues to expand across the Middle East. Early Tuesday, Iran launched drones toward Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. This follows a series of retaliatory strikes that saw Israeli warplanes bomb targets in Beirut and Tehran last week.
Diplomatic channels have suffered further damage following the U.S. killing of Iran’s supreme leader. Iran’s sports and youth minister stated that it is “not possible” for the country to participate in the upcoming World Cup as a result of the strike.
The White House has sent contradictory signals regarding the duration of the conflict. While the president threatens total devastation, he simultaneously insists that Iran is seeking a way out of the war.
Separately, the administration is moving to bolster the U.S. military posture. President Trump proposed a defense budget of $1.5 trillion for 2027, which would mark the largest spending request in decades if approved by Congress.
