Trump Threatens to Bomb Iran 'Back to the Stone Ages'

The former president's latest racist rhetoric comes amid escalating tensions and military actions abroad.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 2:33pm

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In a recent televised address, former President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran 'back to the Stone Ages where they belong,' in the latest display of his administration's casual racism and bellicose foreign policy. Trump's comments came as the U.S. has ramped up airstrikes against Islamic militants in Somalia, and as the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could end birthright citizenship.

Why it matters

Trump's inflammatory rhetoric toward Iran and other nations reflects a long history of U.S. interventionism abroad that has often been rooted in racist and imperialist ideologies. His comments also come amid growing concerns over the erosion of civil liberties and human rights under his administration, including the targeting of immigrant communities and people of color.

The details

In his televised address, Trump echoed the infamous threat made by Gen. Curtis LeMay during the Vietnam War to 'bomb [North Vietnam] back into the Stone Age.' Trump went further, declaring that Iran belongs in the Stone Age. This rhetoric is part of a broader pattern of the former president making racist generalizations about minority groups, including his recent attacks on Somali-Americans in Minnesota. Meanwhile, the U.S. has conducted 49 airstrikes on Islamic militant group al-Shabab in Somalia so far this year, a faster pace than the record-setting 125 strikes in 2025.

  • On April 1, 2026, Trump made his televised address threatening to bomb Iran.
  • So far in 2026, the U.S. has conducted 49 airstrikes on al-Shabab militants in Somalia.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, known for his inflammatory rhetoric and hardline policies toward Iran and other nations.

Curtis LeMay

A former U.S. Air Force general who famously threatened to 'bomb [North Vietnam] back into the Stone Age' during the Vietnam War.

al-Shabab

An Islamic militant group based in Somalia that the U.S. has been targeting with increased airstrikes in recent years.

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What they’re saying

“Don't get me wrong: I'm relieved that this case is shaping up as either 8-1 or 7-2 against the Trump executive order. But the case is a gift to the Supreme Court. By rejecting an outlandish position, it will earn credibility as apolitical, even as the Overton window moves far to the right.”

— Michael C. Dorf, Cornell law professor

What’s next

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the birthright citizenship case in the coming months, with the conservative justices appearing skeptical of the Trump administration's position.

The takeaway

Trump's inflammatory rhetoric and hardline policies toward Iran and other nations, as well as his administration's targeting of immigrant communities and people of color, reflect a long history of U.S. interventionism and racism that continues to have profound consequences for civil liberties and human rights.