Trump Sets Deadline for Iran Strikes as Judges Push Back on Power Grabs

Trump Issues Iran Ultimatum, Threatens "One Night" Destruction

Donald Trump refused to say Monday whether his war on Iran is escalating or winding down, telling reporters at a White House press conference: "I can't tell you."

What he could say: Iran might be "taken out in one night, and that might be tomorrow night."

The president set an 8pm ET Tuesday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on energy facilities and bridges. Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth, flanking Trump alongside Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Daniel Caine, announced Monday would see "the largest volume of strikes since day one of this operation." He added: "Tomorrow, even more than today."

Trump claimed without providing any evidence that Iranian civilians welcome US strikes on their infrastructure, saying they are "willing to suffer" loss of power and basic services to achieve freedom from the Islamic Republic. No independent reporting supports this claim.

The comments came as diplomatic efforts to halt the Middle East conflict appeared to collapse. Trump also compared UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Nazi appeaser Neville Chamberlain during an Easter Monday White House event, mocking Starmer's refusal to back the US-Israel attacks on Iran and his questions about the conflict's legality.

Federal Judges Mount Challenge to Trump's "War on the Rule of Law"

While Trump threatens foreign nations, district court judges across the US are increasingly issuing strong rulings that challenge the legality of his domestic policies, according to former judges and prosecutors.

These lower court judges have blocked key Trump policies at least temporarily, sparking angry responses from the president. The pattern represents what experts are calling pushback against Trump's "war on the rule of law."

The judicial resistance comes as Trump threatened to jail journalists who reported that a second US airman went missing after being shot down by Iran on Friday. The badly injured airman hid in a mountain crevice to avoid capture before being rescued by a US recovery team under heavy fire. Trump wants to identify the journalists' sources.

JPMorgan Chief Criticizes Trump Economic Strategy

Jamie Dimon, head of the nation's largest bank, pressed the White House to strengthen Washington's allies economically to "avoid truly adverse consequences" in what marks the latest installment of an increasingly testy relationship with the Trump administration.

The comments represent a veiled but pointed criticism of Trump's approach to international economic relations.

ICE Detains Army Wife at Military Base

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents reportedly detained the wife of a US Army staff sergeant at his military base in Louisiana as he prepared to deploy. The detention marks another escalation in Trump's immigration crackdown, now targeting military families on federal installations.

Other Developments

Two Democratic lawmakers called for an end to the "cruel collective punishment" of Cuba after visiting the island to witness effects of the US energy blockade.

A second former female staffer for Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas came forward claiming Gonzales sent her sexually explicit messages.

Online betting platform Polymarket stopped accepting wagers on when downed US airmen might be rescued after facing criticism from a federal lawmaker. The company promised to investigate how the market appeared on its platform.

Republican politicians fell for a hoax image over the weekend purporting to show a downed US warplane crew member rescued in Iran, prompting calls for a national "crash course in media literacy."

The Artemis II astronauts broke Apollo 13's distance record Monday at 1:57pm ET, becoming the first four humans to travel farther from Earth than anyone in history. The crew embraced in their cramped capsule as they made history.

As public health becomes increasingly politicized under Trump, some political candidates are making it central to their campaigns. The grassroots organization Defend Public Health is developing strategies to counter the administration's chaotic approach to health policy.