President Trump Warns Iran: Kill Protesters and America Will Strike — ‘Locked and Loaded’

Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, declaring the United States would intervene if the regime violently suppresses ongoing anti-government protests. Iranian officials fired back, threatening U.S. forces in the region, as unrest spreads nationwide amid economic collapse and rising pressure on Tehran’s leadership.

The sooner the better.

Protests against Supreme Leader Khamenei and demands for regime change spread across over 50 cities. Students joined in major cities like Tehran and Isfahan, leading to university closures, while clashes involved tear gas, water cannons, live rounds, and protesters setting fire to police stations. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi hailed the crowds as heroes making history.

“FINAL BATTLE’: Regime Panics as Clerics Flee Cities and Iran Erupts Nationwide, “DEATH TO KHAMENEI!” “LONG LIVE THE SHAH!”

Students, Women Take to the Streets Despite Live Ammo and Crackdown

The killing of peaceful protesters has already begun.

Iranians need any help they can get in their battle for freedom, against the most dangerous terrorist organisation.

Including, and especially the neutralisation of Islamic Republic terrorist forces.

Action is needed. pic.twitter.com/ZP8dOrp5H7

— Hichkas (@HichkasOfficial) January 2, 2026

“President @realDonaldTrump , thank you for your support of the Iranian people’s protests.
If you want the Abraham Accords’ peace in the Middle East, support the Iranian people’s only alternative: Crown Prince @PahlaviReza .
Many thanks on behalf of Iran’s long-suffering people . pic.twitter.com/MOwcZBhiuF

— Ario ð“„‚✺ || (@Ario1401) January 2, 2026

هم‌میهنان شریف و شجاعم،

درود بر شما که دلیرانه در سراسر ایران ایستاده‌اید؛ از لرستان، چهارمحال‌وبختیاری، و اصفهان تا کرمانشاه، ایلام و خوزستان؛ از فارس، همدان و زنجان، تا مرکزی، قم، و تهران؛ از قزوین و البرز و گیلان، تا مازندران، و خراسان و هرمزگان.

شما در حال تاریخ‌سازی هستید؛… pic.twitter.com/QM2SRZ8Ot9

— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) January 2, 2026

Trump says US will intervene if Iran starts killing protesters: ‘Locked and loaded’

Iranian official warns that the U.S. should be ‘mindful of their soldiers’ safety’ following Trump’s comments

By Bradford Betz, Fox News, Updated January 2, 2026:

Trump warns Iran after deadly protests: ‘Locked and loaded’

Writing on Truth Social, the president said if Iran shoots and “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue.”

“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said.Trump’s warning comes as demonstrations triggered by Iran’s deteriorating economy expand beyond the capital and raise concerns about a potential heavy-handed crackdown by security forces. At least seven people — including protesters and members of Iran’s security services — have been reported killed during clashes, according to international reporting.

IRANIAN PROTESTERS CLASH WITH SECURITY FORCES AS TEAR GAS FILLS TEHRAN STREETS AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST

President Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a ceremony for the presentation of the Mexican Border Defense Medal in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker who serves as the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, pushed back on Trump’s post, writing on X that, “With the statements by Israeli officials and Donald Trump, what has been going on behind the scenes is now clear. We distinguish between the stance of the protesting shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors, and Trump should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests.”

“The American people should know — Trump started this adventurism. They should be mindful of their soldiers’ safety,” Larijani added.

The threat came after Iran launched an attack on Al-Udeid, the American airbase in Qatar, in June 2025. The base is home to 10,000 American forces and is the U.S.’s largest military installation in the Middle East. Located southwest of Doha, it serves as a hub for logistical operations for the U.S. mission to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Ali Larijani stands at podium in Lebanon
Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, arrives in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 27, 2025, to attend a memorial service for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. (Courtney Bonneau/Middle East Images via AFP/Getty Images)

At the time, Iran vowed to retaliate against the U.S. after American B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker buster bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites.

In the recent Iranian demonstrations, some of the most severe violence has been reported in western Iran, where videos circulating online appeared to show fires burning in streets and the sound of gunfire during nighttime protests.

Iran protests
Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)

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The unrest marks Iran’s most significant protests since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide demonstrations. Officials say the current protests have not yet reached the same scale or intensity, but they have spread to multiple regions and include chants directed at Iran’s theocratic leadership.

Iran’s civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has signaled a willingness to engage with protesters, but the administration faces limited options as the country’s economy continues to deteriorate. Iran’s currency has sharply depreciated, with roughly 1.4 million rials now required to buy a single U.S. dollar, intensifying public anger and eroding confidence in the government.

State television reported the arrests of several people accused of exploiting the unrest, including individuals it described as monarchists and others allegedly linked to Europe-based groups. Authorities also claimed security forces seized smuggled weapons during related operations, though details remain limited.

Iran protests
Iranian protests force nationwide shutdown as President Masoud Pezeshkian closes businesses and offices across 21 provinces amid mounting public anger. (MEK/ People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran)

The demonstrations come amid heightened regional tensions following a 12-day conflict with Israel in June, during which the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian officials have since said the country is no longer enriching uranium, attempting to signal openness to renewed negotiations over its nuclear program to ease sanctions.