Donald Trump fired off a statement on Truth Social, blasting the Wall Street Journal for reporting what he called pure fiction. “The Wall Street Journal has No Idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran!” he wrote in what is likely just another creative way to state the facts, as he has been doing since January. The post came hours after the outlet published a piece saying he had given a green light to strike Iran, but paused final approval to wait and see if Tehran would quit developing nukes. That article quoted three unnamed individuals said to be involved in the conversation. According to the Wall Street Journal , Trump met with his top aides Tuesday night and approved military plans targeting Iran. But he didn’t sign off fully. He’s waiting, apparently, to see if Iran gives up its nuclear ambitions before he moves. When asked directly if he would bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, he gave his usual answer: “I may do it, I may not do it.” He added, “The next week is going to be very big, maybe less than a week.” As always, no one really knows what he means, but the threat is hanging in the air. US military prepares while Iran warns of ‘irreversible consequences’ While Trump plays coy, the Pentagon isn’t wasting time. A third US Navy destroyer just entered the eastern Mediterranean, and a second aircraft carrier strike group is now moving toward the Arabian Sea. Officials say the buildup is “defensive,” but it clearly sets the stage in case Trump decides to attack or join Israel in its current campaign. Fighting between Iran and Israel is already in full swing. On the seventh straight day of conflict, an Iranian missile slammed into an Israeli hospital. In response, Israel claimed it hit 100 sites in Iran, including the heavy-water reactor at Arak—now called Khondab—and a nuclear site in Natanz. Israel claims those locations were being used to build weapons, but has failed to provide irrefutable evidence in nearly 50 years of the accusation. The U.N. atomic watchdog confirmed there was no radiation leak from the Khondab facility. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a televised warning. “The Americans must understand—any US military incursion will undoubtedly lead to irreversible consequences,” he said. He made it clear that threats won’t work on Iran. “Iran will not yield.” China and Russia urge calm while Trump ignores warnings Elsewhere, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a call Thursday where both agreed the conflict must be dialed down. Xi said “major powers” need to help cool the war, which was clearly aimed at Washington. Russia, which has a military deal with Tehran, is openly urging the United States to back off. Moscow warned that an American strike would destabilize the entire Middle East and could even lead to a nuclear disaster. Meanwhile, economists are sounding the alarm about the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway that carries more than 80% of oil exports from the region. If Iran shuts it down, global oil prices could jump by 80% in a single week. Fuel supplies would run out within days. Major corporations, especially in Europe, would grind to a halt. GDPs would crash across the Persian Gulf. Countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia would see their LPG exports freeze. France, Germany, and the UK would be hit hard. The ripple effects would devastate industries, from manufacturing to shipping, and millions of jobs could disappear. The US wouldn’t be spared either. Gasoline prices would skyrocket. American factories would shut down. Entire sectors of the economy could collapse. And this would be on Trump’s watch. Yet Trump keeps hinting at escalation, though everyone knows that any direct US military involvement will be a nightmare for his administration, and likely trigger World War III. In any case, nothing Trump said on the campaign trail has held up so far. The lies didn’t stop after returning to the White House. His message now ? Maybe he’ll bomb Iran, maybe not. And until he acts, the world is stuck waiting. Cryptopolitan Academy: Want to grow your money in 2025? Learn how to do it with DeFi in our upcoming webclass. Save Your Spot
