President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with technology leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Photo by Al Drago/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 19 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump declared "economic warfare" against Iran on Wednesday night amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Few specifics were offered about what this apparent intensification of Trump's maximum pressure campaign would look like, but the president said it would be "the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY!"
"This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," Trump said in his social media statement.
Financial institutions, businesses, airports and government entities accused of providing "any type of lifeline to Iran" will face what Trump called "TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences," though he did not elaborate further.
