INTERNATIONAL
Trump warns Iran may get 'hit very hard' when asked about reported protester deaths
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Florida to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, January 4, 2026. - REUTERS
US President Donald Trump on Sunday (January 4) warned Iran of a strong response if security forces escalate violence against protesters in the Middle Eastern nation.
AI Brief
“We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” Trump told reporters when asked about the unrest in Iran.
At least 16 people have been killed during a week of unrest in Iran, rights groups said on Sunday, as protests over soaring inflation spread across the country, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Trump had earlier threatened to come to the protesters' aid if they face violence, saying on Friday "we are locked and loaded and ready to go," without specifying what actions he was considering.
That warning prompted threats of retaliation against U.S. forces in the region from senior Iranian officials. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran "will not yield to the enemy."
Trump was speaking aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
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AI Brief
- Trump warns Iran that the US will respond "very hard" if protesters are killed during widespread antigovernment unrest.
- At least 16 people have died as inflation-driven protests escalate into clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
- Iran's leaders threaten retaliation, vowing not to yield, as Trump speaks aboard Air Force One following Maduro's capture.
“We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” Trump told reporters when asked about the unrest in Iran.
At least 16 people have been killed during a week of unrest in Iran, rights groups said on Sunday, as protests over soaring inflation spread across the country, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Trump had earlier threatened to come to the protesters' aid if they face violence, saying on Friday "we are locked and loaded and ready to go," without specifying what actions he was considering.
That warning prompted threats of retaliation against U.S. forces in the region from senior Iranian officials. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran "will not yield to the enemy."
Trump was speaking aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Your gateway to global news, insights, and stories that matter.