'Loaded, Ready To Go': Trump Says US Ready To ‘Rescue’ Iranian Protesters If Attacked

President Donald Trump pledged in a late night social media post that the US will come to the rescue of Iranian protesters if they are attacked by Islamic Republic authorities. 

The post, around 3 a.m. Washington and late morning in Iran on Friday, comes after protests erupted this week in Tehran after the currency slumped to a record low, worsening an economic crisis in a country already wracked by sanctions. Demonstrations have since spread to other parts of the country, setting off clashes between civilians and security forces. 

“If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”

Trump didn’t provide any specifics on what actions he would consider taking. 

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside normal business hours. 

The president’s remarks appear to signal a willingness to intervene in the type of overseas crises he campaigned to stay away from. His administration’s pressure campaign against the regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, including seizing oil tankers and at least one air strike on land, has already unnerved portions of his base. 

The protests have continued despite President Masoud Pezeshkian’s pledge to revise planned tax increases and calling demands for change “legitimate.” While the country is notoriously authoritarian, it has a history of nationwide protest movements — most recently in 2019 and 2022.  

The US has also recently renewed threats against Iran over its nuclear weapons program. Trump on Monday warned of potential strikes after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing concerns Tehran is rebuilding the program and expanding its ballistic missile capabilities, following joint US-Israeli strikes in June.