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THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent · Greg Sargent

Angry Trump Erupts at Media as GOPers Quietly Start to Break over War

April 7, 2026·19 min·1 clip
A political scientist warns this conflict could become the most devastating event of the 21st century.
Donald Trump lost his temper during a press conference when a New York Times reporter asked about his threats to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges, questioning whether such attacks would violate the Geneva Conventions. Trump attacked the reporter and his news outlet, suggesting that anyone questioning war crimes somehow wants Iran to have nuclear weapons. Political scientist Elizabeth Saunders explains that Trump's threats to bomb all civilian infrastructure in Iran would constitute clear war crimes under international law, representing a significant escalation from previous military targeting. The discussion reveals Trump's apparent rejection of any constraints on American military power from international law or civilian protection concerns. A new Punchbowl News report indicates that some Republicans may be reaching a breaking point with Trump over the war, with Senator John Curtis refusing to support additional war funding without congressional authorization. However, Congress has failed to hold any formal votes on the war despite the escalating situation. Saunders warns this conflict could become the most devastating event of the 21st century due to its potential global economic impacts. Attacks on civilian infrastructure could trigger massive humanitarian disasters, while retaliation against Gulf infrastructure could devastate global oil supplies, fertilizer production, and food costs worldwide. The expert analysis reveals a strategic impasse where Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz and has no incentive to back down, while Trump faces potential humiliation if he cannot deliver on his threats. Iran has demonstrated rational, calibrated responses to previous Trump actions, but would likely abandon restraint if faced with indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets. The geographic and strategic realities make it unlikely that any overlapping agreement could satisfy both Trump's need for victory and Iran's strategic interests. This leaves Trump potentially facing a choice between accepting humiliation he cannot spin away or following through on threats that would invite massive retaliation and global economic catastrophe. The discussion highlights how institutional failures, particularly Congress's abdication of its war authorization responsibilities, have concentrated all military decision-making power in the presidency. Saunders expresses more fear about this crisis than previous Trump-era national security situations because the structural constraints that previously limited his actions are absent in this case.

As heard by us

A stark war-powers discussion centered on Congress.

The episode follows Trump's threats to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges, then turns to the larger question of whether Congress will act at all.

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Why you'd press play

If you want the war-powers panic without the cable-news fog, start here.

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