From Shock to Taco: Trump's 12 Hours That Shocked the World

Author: Long Yue, Wall Street Insights

Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 8:06 AM Eastern Time.

Trump posted a short message on Truth Social: "Tonight, civilization will perish and never be rebuilt." He set a deadline for Iran: either reach an agreement by 8 PM that evening, or face the consequences.

This post immediately triggered a chain reaction globally—from ordinary residents of Tehran to trading floors on Wall Street, and even emergency teleconferences among European diplomats.

This post immediately triggered a chain reaction globally—from ordinary residents of Tehran to trading floors on Wall Street, and even emergency teleconferences among European diplomats.

This is the most dramatic instance of extreme pressure since Trump took office. Furthermore, a New York Times commentary points out that Trump's startling threat to "eliminate Iranian civilization," delivered with his usual nonchalant ruthlessness, has become his preferred mode of communication. Such extreme rhetoric, even containing elements that could be defined as war crimes under international law, was easily posted on Truth Social, accompanied by advertisements for bullet-shaped pens, patriotic hats, and Mar-a-Lago dinners. With less than 90 minutes remaining until his self-set deadline, Trump posted another message announcing that he had agreed to suspend bombing operations against Iran for two weeks. According to Xinhua News Agency, Trump posted on social media that evening: "I agree to a two-week suspension of bombing and attacks on Iran." From "the entire civilization will perish" to "a two-week suspension," only ten hours and twenty-six minutes elapsed. However, this brief ceasefire between the US and Iran is less a resolution to the crisis and more a temporary shelving of deeper conflicts. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, Washington and Tehran may once again teeter on the brink of confrontation two weeks later. Media analysis suggests that the fundamental issues between the US and Iran, which have persisted for years, remain unresolved, with one of the core issues being Iran's ever-growing stockpile of enriched uranium in its nuclear program. A single post made the world hold its breath. When Trump's post appeared on the screen, reactions around the world began almost simultaneously. In Iran, many residents began preparing for power and gas outages. Reports indicate that some people dug out old camping stoves and refilled fuel cans. Less than 30 minutes after the post, according to the media citing Arab officials, Iranian officials informed Egypt that Tehran had severed direct contact with US negotiators. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also immediately issued a warning: if the US crosses its "red line," Iran will "no longer exercise restraint" and has listed Saudi Aramco, Yanbu oil facilities, and the Fujairah oil pipeline in the UAE as potential targets. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert read this message as air raid sirens sounded in Israel. He took refuge in his bunker and, amidst the sirens, commented: "I tend to interpret President Trump's statement less literally. I hope he means to destroy the regime, not to destroy Iranian civilization." Meanwhile, at 9:00 AM Eastern Time, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine joined the daily video conference with General Brad Cooper, Commander of Central Command. It was reported that military planners had previously prepared potential strike plans targeting Iran's energy infrastructure and had drawn up a target list that had been reviewed by military lawyers. However, the actual size of this list is far smaller than the "every Iranian power plant will burn and explode" described in Trump's post. It is understood that each target must meet legitimacy requirements: a clear connection to Iranian military and security forces and no excessive harm to civilians. The report stated that... That evening, the U.S. military struck more than 50 targets on Kharg Island near the Strait of Hormuz, but did not bomb oil infrastructure. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated, "The entire Department of Defense is following the President's directives and will steadfastly execute his military objectives." Wall Street: One eye on the screen, the other on Truth Social. For the market, this day had a special rhythm—unlike traditional geopolitical conflicts dominated by battlefield news, it almost entirely followed the ebb and flow of every single social media post by Trump. According to Wall Street Insights: In the past 12 hours, the market reacted sharply to every statement, tweet, or media report: In pre-market trading, with Trump's deadline of 8 p.m. ET on the 7th fast approaching, threatening rhetoric briefly pushed oil prices up by over 3%. In early trading, news broke that Iran was no longer communicating directly with the United States. Subsequently, US stocks extended their losses in early trading on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq 100 index falling by as much as 1.5%, and crude oil prices rose further. In midday trading,... According to US media citing sources, negotiations between the US and Iran have made some progress in the past 24 hours, causing oil prices to fall again. In late trading, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz requested Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks, narrowing losses in the three major US stock indexes, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq narrowly closing higher. After the US market closed, Trump extended the deadline for negotiations with Iran, stating that Iran had agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. WTI crude oil futures fell further, while S&P 500 and Dow Jones futures rose by as much as 1.7%. style="text-align:center">

Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer of asset management firm OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, described the feeling:"Dizzying. One eye was on the stock quote screen, and the other was on Trump's Truth Social page." During this period, Citigroup activated contingency plans similar to those used during presidential elections, suspending minor code updates to trading instruments and other operations that could slow down the system. Communication groups for technology investors and corporate executives also exploded after Trump's post. Former Trump advisor and current business consultant Bryan Lanza, while on vacation, received numerous inquiries from clients in the energy and financial industries. He urged all parties to remain calm, believing that Trump would not actually carry out his threats. Overall, Wall Street's consensus is similar to previous Trump-style deadlines: they are viewed as negotiating tools, not a prelude to real action. Supporters are wavering, and allies are unusually vocal. Pressure comes not only from the market but also from within Trump's political circle. Reports indicate that some White House officials privately expressed unease about the president's posts, believing his excessive focus on foreign affairs is distracting him from domestic issues, which are crucial for winning public support. On social media, Tim Pool, a media personality with over 2 million followers, said in an interview, "He's trying to appear threatening and insane." He warned that if Trump fails to deliver, "we'll see the emperor naked...that will be his last gamble." Criticism from European allies was even more direct. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot publicly stated, "A civilization cannot be erased." Giorgia Meloni, one of Trump's closest European allies and the Italian Prime Minister, also unusually criticized the situation, saying, "A clear distinction must be made between the responsibility of a regime and the fate of millions of ordinary citizens. Iranian civilians cannot and should not pay the price for the crimes of their leaders." Pope Leo and actor Ben Stiller also publicly called for a halt to escalation. Pakistan offered a "stepping stone," which Trump accepted. A diplomatic turning point came in the afternoon. According to media reports, shortly after 3 pm local time on April 7, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz... Sharif publicly called on Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks and push for a ceasefire between the US and Iran, while urging Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz at the same time as a gesture of goodwill. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt immediately responded: "The President has been informed of the proposal and will respond." Trump then informed Fox News that the U.S. was in the midst of "intense negotiations." Throughout the afternoon, Trump and his key aides held closed-door discussions in the Oval Office, listening to analyses of the pros and cons from all sides. According to Xinhua News Agency, at 6:32 p.m. Eastern Time that evening, Trump posted on Truth Social, announcing a suspension of planned strikes: "On the premise that the Islamic Republic of Iran agrees to a full, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to a two-week suspension of bombing and attacks against Iran." According to a Xinhua News Agency report, Iran's Supreme National Security Council subsequently issued a statement confirming that it would hold two weeks of political negotiations with the United States in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, while also expressing Iran's "complete distrust" of the United States. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz confirmed that both sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire in all locations and invited delegations from both the US and Iran to Islamabad on April 10 for further negotiations. After the ceasefire: Fundamental issues remain unresolved. The New York Times, citing analysts, pointed out that... This short-term ceasefire may be a tactical success of Trump's maximum pressure campaign, but the fundamental differences left by five weeks of fighting have not been resolved. The list of issues is quite specific. Iran still holds approximately 970 pounds of 60% enriched uranium—one of the nominal triggers for this war. The report points out that if negotiations ultimately fail to remove it from Iran's territory, Trump will achieve less in a war costing "billions of dollars a day" than the Obama administration's 2015 nuclear agreement, which at that time allowed Iran to remove 97% of its nuclear stockpile. Furthermore, Iran has demonstrated its ability to sustain asymmetric warfare after withstanding over 13,000 precision strikes—blocking oil shipments and launching cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure. Cracks have also appeared within the United States. Reports indicate that some of Trump's early supporters have begun publicly accusing the president and Vice President Vance of breaking their campaign promise to "not let the United States get bogged down in a Middle East war." Two weeks later, when the ceasefire expires, no one can give a definitive answer as to whether negotiations will make substantial progress. As Fontaine stated: "Perhaps this will ultimately work. But it's also possible that when this war ends, the United States and the world will be in a worse situation than before it began." According to Xinhua News Agency, some US officials have also expressed concern that if Iran cannot fully meet Trump's demands, Washington and Tehran may once again be on the verge of confrontation in two weeks. The ceasefire agreement does not mean the bridging of differences; the real crux of the matter lies in the negotiation terms. According to Xinhua News Agency, Iran's Supreme National Security Council released a ten-point ceasefire agreement submitted to the US through Pakistan. The core contents include: left;">

• Coordinate with the Iranian armed forces to control passage through the Strait of Hormuz;

• End the war against all members of the "Axis of Resistance" and end the Israeli regime's aggression;

• Withdraw US combat troops from all bases and deployment points in the region;

• Establish a safe transit protocol in the Strait of Hormuz to ensure Iran's dominant position;

• This has led the world to increasingly perceive the United States as "mentally unstable and dangerous," rather than a "reliable partner."

  Domestic criticism has also intensified. Right-wing podcast host Tucker Carlson stated that the president's Easter message "ruined the holiest day in Christianity" and was "repulsive on every level." He bluntly stated that this threat to use U.S. military force to destroy civilian infrastructure in other countries is a "war crime, a moral crime against the people of that country."

  Former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, also wrote on X: "Trump thinks he is threatening Iran to its destruction, but now the United States is in danger. If he tries to eradicate Iranian civilization, the United States will no longer be seen as a stabilizing force in the world, but as a creator of chaos—which will effectively end our status as a global superpower.

  Even some congressional Republicans, such as Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, said they "hope and pray that President Trump is just bluffing." While Trump has previously followed a similar "script"—reaching some kind of agreement through escalating threats and then declaring victory—his increasingly violent rhetoric reveals a sense of frustration that he has failed to meet the previously postponed deadline for bombing infrastructure.