President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against Iran Wednesday morning, declaring the country a failing state while warning that stalled nuclear negotiations would carry a steep cost — and Wall Street took notice before the opening bell.
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Trump Unleashes on Iran
Equity futures slid deep into negative territory as Trump posted a pair of fiery messages on Truth Social, framing Iran’s military as effectively neutralized.
“Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess,” Trump wrote. “Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore — They have been completely defeated. Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!”
The president then turned his frustration toward the ongoing ceasefire talks, which have dragged on for weeks without resolution.
“They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them,” Trump wrote. “Now they will have to pay the price.”
In a second post, Trump touted the U.S. naval blockade of Iran, calling it “the most successful Blockade in the history of Naval Warfare,” adding that Iran is “doing ZERO business, not paying their military, or any of their bills, and quickly becoming a FAILED NATION.”
Markets React
His aggressive commentary rattled equities in early premarket trading. The S&P 500 last sat at 7,386.65, down 0.26%, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) down 0.49%.
The Nasdaq fell 0.71% to 28,910 — pacing as the worst performer among the major indexes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average held relatively steady at 50,707.00.
Oil was the clear beneficiary of the renewed geopolitical tension. WTI crude jumped 1.69% to $89.69 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed 1.37% to $92.70.
Both moved sharply higher on fears that any renewed military action near the Strait of Hormuz could further choke global supply.
Defense names moved in the opposite direction from the broader market. RTX Corp. (NYSE:RTX) climbed to $183.13 in premarket, up 0.87%, while Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT) traded at $532.70, adding 0.48%.
Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) gained 0.24% to $550.00, according to Benzinga Pro data.
With ceasefire talks stalled and Trump signaling a harder line, traders are bracing for more volatility — particularly in energy and defense — as the morning session approaches.
Photo: Below the Sky / Shutterstock
