PoliticsCNN Star Jake Tapper Reads Donald Trump's 'Extraordinary Graphic' Iran Threat On-Air: Watch
Jake Tapper warned parents whose children may have been watching his show that he was about to drop some swear words.
April 6 2026, Updated 2:14 p.m. ET
CNN's Jake Tapper warned viewers with children before reading a profane Truth Social post from President Donald Trump on Easter Sunday.
Tapper opened his State of the Union broadcast by warning parents that if children are watching, they should be prepared for very un-presidential language.
Tapper was quoting an expletive-laden message from Trump addressed to Iranian leaders regarding the Strait of Hormuz, and he did not censor the post.
“He has just threatened Iran in extraordinary graphic terms — giving the Iranian regime just over a day to either make a deal, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or face h---,” Tapper warned. “If your children are watching, be warned, the president did not use polite language.”
Jake Tapper read the Truth Social post aloud.
He then proceeded to read, word for word, the president’s post, which read, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one in Iran. ‘There will be nothing like it. Open the f------ strait, you crazy b-------, or you’ll be living in h---. Just watch.'”
In addition to the profanity, Tapper noted that the threatened destruction of civilian infrastructure is a war crime punishable by international law.
“We should note that destroying civilian power infrastructure is generally considered to constitute a war crime under international law, though the president could argue that the infrastructure has dual use and also is utilized by Iran’s military,” Tapper said.
Guests on Tapper's show provided varied perspectives on the president's profane message.
Brett McGurk, a veteran national security official who served under multiple administrations, including Trump's, described the message as an unsuccessful escalation tactic.
He noted that while Trump appeared to be trying to force a deal, this type of aggressive public posturing often backfires because it forces Iranian leaders to respond in kind publicly, making secret "back-channel" diplomacy more difficult.
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Donald Trump's post sparked backlash.
Tapper has faced widespread criticism for not being aggressive enough in his coverage of Trump, while he spent much of President Joe Biden’s term scrutinizing the former president.
While Tapper was uncharacteristically candid with the post, as was fellow CNN host Fareed Zakaria, other networks handled it a bit differently.
One CNN viewer posted that seeing both anchors use the profanity was the "highlight of [their] day."
Some TV personalities didn't read the message word for word.
MS NOW host Eugene Daniels initially censored himself before later using the full profanity to emphasize the gravity of the language.
Daniels stressed the importance of accuracy, stating, "That is a quote from the president so, yes, we are saying it on television." He noted that his decision was meant to emphasize the "unprecedented use of language" coming from the White House.
Fox News host Trey Yingst and NBC's Meet the Press host Kristen Welker both steered clear of the language, while the BBC blacked out the profanity when showing a screenshot of the original post.
