REVIVING NIXON’S MADMAN THEORY: History tells us that in the late 1960s, desperate to negotiate an end to the Vietnam War at the Paris peace talks, President Richard Nixion conceived his famous “madman theory,” in which he instructed his chief negotiator Henry Kissinger to portray him to the North Vietnamese as an irrational madman who would do anything to win the war, including the use of nuclear weapons, in an attempt to intimidate them into capitulating. History also tells us it didn’t work. President Donald Trump, after insisting for days he didn’t need the Strait of Hormuz to open to end the war, or that the allies could easily open the vital oil transit route, that it would just open naturally, let loose with a burst of anger on social media Sunday, warning that Tuesday will be “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one.” “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F*****’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!,” he posted on Truth Social, mocking the Iranians with the signature line: “Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” In a later post, he appeared to move the deadline another 24 hours from 8 p.m. tonight to 8 p.m tomorrow. All the post said was, “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” In an eight-minute phone interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump confirmed the new deadline, “If they don’t do something by Tuesday evening, they won’t have any power plants, and they won’t have any bridges standing.” “If they don’t come through, if they want to keep [the Strait of Hormuz] closed, they’re going to lose every power plant and every other plant they have in the whole country,” he said. Trump spoke to a number of reporters by phone on Sunday. He told ABC’s Rachel Scott that the conflict should be over in days, not weeks, but if no deal is made, he’s blowing up the whole country with “very little” off the table. “If it happens, it happens. And if it doesn’t, we’re blowing up the whole country,” Trump said. In Trump’s original March 21 Truth Social threat, Trump said Iran must “FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. TRUMP VOWS TO BLOW UP ‘WHOLE COUNTRY’ OF IRAN IF NO DEAL MADE, ‘VERY LITTLE’ OFF TABLE DEMOCRATS: TRUMP ‘RANTING LIKE AN UNHINGED MADMAN’: In social media posts Sunday, Democrats labeled Trump “unhinged,” and argued his threats to target civilian power plants were likely a war crime, akin to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s destruction of Ukraine’s energy grid, inflicting mystery on its civilian population. “Happy Easter, America. As you head off to church and celebrate with friends and family, the President of the United States is ranting like an unhinged madman on social media,” Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted on X. “He’s threatening possible war crimes and alienating allies. This is who he is, but this is not who we are. Our country deserves so much better.” “President Trump’s latest threats on Truth Social, if carried out, would violate the law of armed conflict as laid out in the Geneva Conventions and the DoD Law of War Manual,” Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said in her post. “It is both irresponsible and wrong to indiscriminately kill civilians in Iran and destroy civilian infrastructure like bridges and power plants — particularly when the President said this war was to aid the Iranian people.” “These are the ravings of a dangerous and mentally unbalanced individual. Congress has got to act NOW. End this war,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) posted. “Never mind that blowing up bridges and power plants and killing innocent Iranians won’t reopen the Strait. It’s also a clear war crime,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) posted on X. “Trump’s advisers are telling him to hit civilian sites because it will cause unrest and potentially topple the regime. But just think about the insanity of this plan: kill tens of thousands of civilians in order to cause a national panic.” “The current regime won’t open the Strait, so he is going to murder innocent people to induce a national panic? WTF. Trump is out of control,” Murphy said. “Experts on the Geneva Conventions are clear on this, too. Bombing to induce political panic IS A WAR CRIME.” Even former Trump ally and member of Congress Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) weighed in, saying, “I know all of you and him, and he has gone insane, and all of you are complicit. I’m not defending Iran, but let’s be honest about all of this.” CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS LAY INTO TRUMP’S ‘UNHINGED’ IRAN THREATS IRAN REMAINS DEFIANT: So far, Iran’s public response has been to thumb its nose at Trump, and mock his threats. Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, taunted Trump after the shootdown of a U.S. Air Force F-15E. “This brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?’” Ghalibaf wrote on his X account. In a video post, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, warned that Iran would retaliate against U.S. allies in the region for any attack on its power plants and bridges. “If attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the subsequent phases of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be carried out much more crushingly and extensively, and the enemy’s losses and damages from persisting with this approach will be multiplied,” he said. In an interview with the Associated Press, Iran’s culture minister dismissed Trump’s latest threats, calling him an “unstable, delusional figure.” “The President of the United States, as the highest official of his country, has publicly threatened to commit war crimes,” Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, wrote on social media. “It is recommended that, before the name of the U.S. President is recorded in history as a major war criminal, he cease these threats — whose consequences will not be limited to Iran alone.” Meanwhile Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators have sent Iran and the U.S. a proposal calling for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Neither side has responded. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Good Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE HAPPENING TODAY: President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 p.m. at the White House to update the country on the state of the war with Iran. Much of the briefing is expected to focus on the audacious rescue of the second downed F-15 pilot deep into enemy territory, a success which Trump called “one of the most daring search and rescue operations in U.S. history.” Trump initially said the pilot, whom he identified only as a highly respected colonel, had “sustained injuries, but will be just fine.” Later, it was revealed that the pilot, who was the backseater, likely suffered a concussion as a result of ejecting from the plane, yet was able to walk a considerable distance to hide in a crevasse at the top of a mountain as Iranian forces were closing in on him. “There’s just so many heroes in this story,” said Rep. Dave McCormick (R-PA) on Fox News Sunday, relating that he had just been briefed by a senior administration official who was “deeply involved in every step of the operation.” “As a soldier, when you’re going into enemy territory, to know that the American people and America is going to do everything it can to get you home is critical,” McCormick said. “We had hundreds of special operators and aircraft in the region. And then this guy, this airman, was an absolute hero. He climbed 7,000 feet. When the planners were trying to identify where he was, they couldn’t imagine that he was both injured and was able to get to that point where he could eventually be rescued.” The mission hit a snag when special operations, a pair of C-130 transport planes, were unable to take off from a sandy makeshift landing strip, and the extraction force had to be rescued itself, but with smaller, lighter planes. In order to keep the aircraft and sensitive equipment out of the hands of the Iranians, the U.S. sends planes back to bomb the two planes and two helicopters, leaving nothing but a smoking wreckage. HOW THE CIA USED A DECEPTION CAMPAIGN IN IRAN TO EXTRACT DOWNED F-15 CREW MEMBER ONE OF THE ARMY’S BEST AND BRIGHTEST FIRED BY HEGSETH: As accolades have continued to pour in for ousted Army Chiefs of Staff Gen. Randy George, the purge of senior leaders by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is drawing more scrutiny from Congress. On Fox News, former Army Vice Chief retired Gen. Jack Keane called George a “generational chief of staff,” and said he had never seen anyone quite like him. “He’s got the warrior ethos, and he’s transforming the Army, taking it to the new technology of warfare.” “Secretary Hegseth’s latest baseless firings, this time of Army Chief of Staff General Randy George and other senior military officers, weakens our national security and national defense at a time when we can least afford it,” Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said in a statement. “Since taking charge of the Department of Defense, we have seen Secretary Hegseth oust numerous decorated, knowledgeable, and well-respected U.S. military leaders and remove individuals from promotion lists in his ongoing culture war. He continues to target others in the department who appear to pose a challenge to him personally or don’t fit his worldview, rather than letting merit and competence determine promotions and senior assignments.” “I am deeply concerned that Secretary Hegseth is politicizing military service, failing to uphold the merit-based promotion process, and doing long-term institutional damage to the all-volunteer force,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said in a statement. “If Secretary Hegseth intervened to block or delay the promotion of highly-qualified officers, who were selected by their peers based on merit and performance, it is disgraceful and a complete betrayal of the merit-based promotion system that is the foundation of our military,” Reed said, “This intervention would run counter to the law, long-standing practice, and tradition that accessions and promotions within the military services be based on ‘individual merit and demonstrated performance.’ Instead, if reports are true, the Secretary appears to be unfairly targeting officers based on their sex, race, or other factors.” HEGSETH’S TRANSFORMATION OF THE PENTAGON CONTINUES APACE THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Trump hails ‘Easter miracle’ after second F-15 crew member rescued from Iran Washington Examiner: Trump says Iran has ’48 hours before all Hell will ‘reign’ down on them’ over Hormuz blockade Washington Examiner: Trump vows to blow up ‘whole country’ of Iran if no deal made, ‘very little’ off table Washington Examiner: Iran vows to continue Strait of Hormuz chokehold in face of fiery Trump threats Washington Examiner: Greene says Trump isn’t Christian in slamming Easter threat to reopen Strait of Hormuz Washington Examiner: Congressional Democrats lay into Trump’s ‘unhinged’ Iran threats Washington Examiner: Trump’s Monday news conference on Iran moved to briefing room Washington Examiner: How the CIA used a deception campaign in Iran to extract downed F-15 crew member Washington Examiner: Mike Turner doubts ground troops will be ‘necessary’ to reopen Hormuz Washington Examiner: Hegseth’s transformation of the Pentagon continues apace Washington Examiner: Iran signals manpower crisis with soldiers as young as 12, volunteer recruitment campaign Washington Examiner: Pararescuemen prove themselves again in Iran rescue mission Washington Examiner: DREW BOND: Iran war reality check: Global markets still dictate American energy prices Washington Examiner: Collins knocks Trump’s budget proposal: ‘Several shortcomings’ Washington Examiner: State Department orders US citizens to leave Lebanon Washington Examiner: Kuwait says Iran damaged a desalination plant in another attack on water infrastructure Washington Examiner: UN Security Council delays vote on escorting ships through Strait of Hormuz Washington Examiner: Trump slams ‘Failing New York Times’ over NATO headline misprint Washington Examiner: Iran war reality check: Global markets still dictate American energy prices Washington Examiner: Opinion: The US military needs Trump’s defense budget Washington Examiner: Opinion: China has an advantage on Iran — Trump must push back Washington Examiner: Opinion: Are Trump and Japan’s Takaichi the new Reagan and Thatcher Wall Street Journal: Trump Warns Iran He Could Strike ‘Every Power Plant,’ in WSJ Interview AP: Israel says it killed the head of intelligence for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Reuters: US and Iran receive peace proposal as Trump vows ‘hell’ if Strait stays shut AP: A mountain hideout and aircraft under fire: US carries out daring rescue of service member in Iran New York Times: A Harrowing Race Against Time to Find a Downed US Airman in Iran Wall Street Journal: Iran’s Network of Cameras Bolsters Air Defenses, Expert Says NBC News: As Trump Rails Against NATO, Secretary General Heads to Washington New York Times: John Bolton: Finish the Job: How Trump Can Still Win in Iran Wall Street Journal: The North Korea Lesson for Iran The Atlantic: Hegseth’s War on America’s Military Military.com: Latest Operation Epic Fury Data: 365 US Troops Wounded in Action, 13 Dead Air & Space Forces Magazine: White House Unveils $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget. What Comes Next? Breaking Defense: Golden Dome, Out-Years, and Lots of Missiles: Details of Trump’s $1.5T Defense Budget Request Defense One: Budget Seeks Billions for Air Force’s F-47 Fighter Jet, Just Millions for Navy’s F/A-XX Air & Space Forces Magazine: Pentagon Requests 38 F-35s for the Air Force in 2027 Budget Task & Purpose: Right to Repair: Why the US Military Can’t Fix Much of Its Own Equipment The War Zone: A-10 Warthog Being Tested with Aerial Refueling Probe Air & Space Forces Magazine: Pentagon Plans Major Boost in Spending and Research on Mass-Producing Munitions Breaking Defense: SDA’s Sandhoo Likely to Lead Space Force Missile Warning & Tracking Portfolio DefenseScoop: Feinberg’s New Maven Directive Sets AI-Enabled Decision-Making as ‘the Cornerstone’ for CJADC2 THE CALENDAR: MONDAY | APRIL 6 9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “How the War in Iran is Impacting Global Energy Infrastructure,” with Jerry McGinn, director, CSIS Center for the Industrial Base; and Joseph Majkut, director, CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program https://www.csis.org/events/how-war-iran-impacting-global-energy 11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Does Korea’s Soft Power Work?” with Jinaeng Choi, assistant professor, Georgetown University; Timothy Martin, Korea bureau chief, Wall St. Journal; and Victor Cha, CSIS Korea chair https://www.csis.org/events/impossible-state-live-podcast-does-koreas-soft-power-work 12 p.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “Pressure Points: The Iran War’s Growing Economic and Security Impact,” with retired Marine Lt. Gen. Sam Mundy, former commander, Marine Corps Forces Central Command; Karen Young, MEI senior fellow; and Ken Pollack, MEI vice president for policy https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register TUESDAY | APRIL 7 9 a.m. 515 15th St. NW — Government Executive Media Group Federal Cybersecurity Executive Summit: Mark Canter, chief information security officer at the Government Accountability Office; and Col. Juliet Calvin, commanding officer, Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group https://events.govexec.com/optiv-clearshark-the-federal-cybersecurity-executive-summit/ 10 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: “Crude Diplomacy: Oil and the Iran War,” with Helima Croft, managing director and head of global commodity strategy and MENA research at RBC Capital Markets; and Aaron David Miller, CEIP senior fellow https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2026/03/crude-diplomacy-oil-and-the-iran-war 10 a.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “U.S.-Turkish Defense Relations and the Upcoming NATO Summit,” with Can Kasapoglu, nonresident senior fellow, Hudson Institute; Yavuz Turkgenci, Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies board member; Defne Arslan, senior director, Atlantic Council’s Turkey Program; Balbona Zeneli, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative; and Rich Outzen, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Turkey Program https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/us-turkish-defense-relations WEDNESDAY | APRIL 8 11 a.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: “North Macedonia’s Transatlantic Priorities,” with North Macedonia Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timco Mucunski https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/foreign-minister-timco-mucunski THURSDAY | APRIL 9 10:30 a.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion on a new report: “Rebuilding America’s Air Force: Balancing the Air Force’s Combat Force for Peer Conflict,” with Lt. Gen. Jason Armagost, deputy commander, Air Force Global Strike Command; Mark Gunzinger, director of future concepts and capability assessments, Mitchell Institute; and retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute https://afa-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/ 4 p.m. 2121 K St. NW — International Institute for Strategic Studies discussion: “What’s Next for Cuba?” with Daniel Erikson, senior adviser at Covington & Burling; Ricardo Herrero, executive director, Cuban Study Group; and Michael Carpenter, IISS senior fellow https://www.iiss.org/events/2026/04/whats-next-for-cuba 5 p.m. 1521 16th St. NW — Institute of World Politics discussion: “The Realities of Iran,” with William Murray, former senior CIA operations officer https://www.iwp.edu/events/the-realities-of-iran FRIDAY | APRIL 10 10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “The Hypersonic Imperative: Restoring U.S. Advantage in a Contested Battlespace,” with Michael White, former principal director for hypersonics at the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/the-hypersonic-imperative-restoring-u-s-advantage 11 a.m. 1763 N St. NW — Middle East Institute discussion: “Iran, Hizballah, and Lebanon’s Future,” with Kenneth Pollack, MEI vice president for policy; Matthew Levitt, senior fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy; and Aram Nerguizian, senior associate, Center for Strategic and International Studies https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/ 11:30 a.m. — Washington Institute for Near East Policy virtual forum, “In the Dark and in Danger: Iran’s Internet Shutdown and Wartime Repression,” with Mahsa Alimardani, associate director of technology threats and opportunities at WITNESS; Nazanin Boniadi, human rights advocate, actress, and producer; and Roya Boroumand, co-founder and executive director, Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran https://washingtoninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/
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| “And, you know, we did, in fact, lose a couple of aircraft in that mission. But I would just tell you, it takes a year to build an aircraft. It takes 200 years to build a military tradition where you don't leave anybody behind. You take the aircraft trade any day in a situation like this.” |
| Retired Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, former CENTCOM commander, on CBS’s Face the Nation Sunday |
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