Fox News Cuts Off Trump Mid-Rant as He Defends Iran War, Renames Gulf and Shrugs Off Civilisation Threat

Donald Trump's appearance on Fox News on Sunday covered topics including the United States' war on Iran, a proposed new name for the Gulf of Mexico, and a Truth Social post in which he warned that 'a whole civilisation will die tonight.' The interview, broadcast on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, ended abruptly when the host stepped in to cut the 79-year-old president off mid-sentence.

The call-in covered his administration's newly announced blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, attacks on NATO allies, including the UK and Germany for 'not being there' for the US following the Iran offensive, and his proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico 'The Gulf of Trump.' Bartiromo stepped in to end the interview before Trump had finished speaking.

'Mr President, We Want to Respect Your Time'

The moment Bartiromo intervened came as Trump was mid-rant, gloating that Venezuela is making 'more money' than it ever has — a reference to his administration's military operation in January to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an action critics described as a violation of international law. 'Mr President, we want to respect your time,' Bartiromo said, cutting across him before thanking him for 'breaking all of this news this morning' and promising a follow-up interview at the White House later in the week.

The Fox host's composure appeared to slip at other moments, too. When she pressed Trump on whether oil and gas prices would fall ahead of the midterm elections — which polls have consistently indicated could deliver losses for Republicans — his response gave little reassurance. 'I hope so, I mean, I think so. It could be, it could be or the same or maybe a little bit higher,' Trump said, as Bartiromo's eyes visibly widened. Trump's war in Iran has already pushed prices higher across the US and unsettled the global economy.

'I'm Fine With It'

Perhaps the most striking exchange came when Bartiromo raised a Truth Social post from earlier in the week. In the post, Trump had written that 'a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again,' unless Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a threat that ultimately failed to materialise after ceasefire talks collapsed on Saturday.

'Mr President, you were criticised for this tweet because you said a whole civilisation will die tonight. What do you want to say about that?' Bartiromo asked. Trump's reply was four words: 'I'm fine with it.'

Election Fraud and a Willing Audience

Trump also returned to one of his most familiar subjects — the 2020 election. 'Under Biden, who was an incompetent president, he was grossly incompetent,' he said. 'Look, the election was rigged. You know that. I know that. Everybody knows that now, and it's all come out and it's coming out.' Bartiromo appeared to respond with 'yup.'

The exchange is notable given Fox News's legal history on the subject. In 2023, Dominion Voting Systems — which had been falsely accused of rigging the 2020 election — settled a defamation lawsuit against the network for £585.9 million ($787.5 million).

The White House has not issued a follow-up statement on Trump's Fox News appearance. Bartiromo confirmed a further interview with Trump at the White House would take place later in the week. Fox News has not commented on the decision to end the call-in early.