Anderson Cooper 360 Trump Threatens to Unleash “Hell” on Iran if No Deal by 8pm Tomorrow
Apr 7, 2026
Ro Khanna, U.S. Congressman on Armed Services and Oversight committees, speaks about the War Powers Resolution and the need for diplomacy. He condemns threats against civilian infrastructure. The conversation also touches on deadlines, ceasefires, and limits to Republican support for military action.
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President Sets Repeated Deadlines Threatening Iran
- President Trump set repeated, shifting deadlines threatening to destroy Iranian infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
- His rhetoric escalated from 48-hour to multiple extensions and included explicit threats to decimate bridges and power plants nationwide.
Blanket Threats Undercut Legal Justification For Targeting
- Margaret Donovan argued the president's blanket threats to destroy power plants and bridges risk constituting war crimes under the law of armed conflict.
- She noted lawful targeting requires individualized analysis and proportionality, which broad public threats undercut.
Military Law Requires Targeting Constraints
- Karen Gibson explained lawful targeting needs discrimination, proportionality, and protection to minimize civilian harm.
- She said destroying every bridge and power plant in Iran is hard to conceive operationally and would require massive munitions and strikes.