As the death toll from Iran’s crackdown on anti-regime protests reaches staggering levels — with families searching through body bags, over 10,000 arrested, and executions underway — President Donald Trump canceled all talks with Iranian officials, declared “help is on its way,” warned that regime killers “will pay a big price,” and urged protesters to “take over your institutions” against the brutal Islamic Republic theocracy, while the U.S. urged Americans to leave the country.
On Tuesday, President Trump took to Truth Social with one of his most forceful statements yet in support of the Iranian uprising.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump shared on Truth Social.
“I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!” he assured, referencing the abbreviated slogan for “Make Iran Great Again.”
Later Tuesday afternoon, President Trump reiterated and expanded those warnings in public remarks in Detroit, Michigan, emphasizing that his message to Iran’s protesters — and to the regime overseeing the crackdown — was not confined to a morning Truth Social post but repeated again during a speech billed as focused on the economy following a tour of a Ford truck plant in nearby Dearborn.
Addressing the unrest directly, Trump urged demonstrators to continue their uprising, warned regime officials that accountability is coming, and pointed to concrete punitive measures already underway.
“To all Iranian patriots, keep protesting, take over your institutions if possible, and save the name of the killers and the abusers that are abusing you,” Trump said, stressing that even a single fatality was unacceptable. “One death is too much,” he added, reiterating his earlier message that those responsible would face consequences. “Save their names because they’ll pay a very big price,” the president warned.
Trump went on to say he had “canceled all meetings with Iranian officials” until the “senseless killing of protesters stops,” assuring demonstrators that “help is on its way.” He also noted that tariffs targeting anyone doing business with Iran had taken effect.
Closing that portion of his remarks, Trump urged Iranians to “make Iran great again,” saying the country “was a great nation until these monsters came in and took it over.”
Iran’s deadly suppression of nationwide protests has sharply escalated, with the first known execution sentence issued, staggering civilian death estimates emerging, and President Trump doubling down on warnings of severe consequences for Tehran’s brutality.
“The wave of executions against these protesters has officially begun,” the U.S. State Department’s Farsi‑language account decried, noting that over 10,600 have been arrested for demanding basic rights and that 26‑year‑old Erfaneh Soltani was sentenced to death without a meaningful trial or defense. “The world must not remain silent in the face of the Islamic Republic regime’s nefarious actions.”
Meanwhile, the human toll continues to mount.
Iran’s officials have admitted up to 2,000 killed, while independent estimates — constrained by internet blackouts and communications suppression — suggest the death toll could exceed 12,000 across the country amid mass killings by security forces.
President Trump, who has repeatedly warned Tehran of consequences for harming protesters, has now sharpened those warnings — publicly stating that regime violence could trigger a strong U.S. response, including possible military action if Iran continues to “shoot at unarmed demonstrators.”
On Monday, he imposed a 25 percent tariff on any nation doing business with Iran to isolate the regime economically.
U.S. officials have also urged American citizens to leave Iran immediately as the unrest and repression escalate, underscoring the deteriorating security landscape.
The crackdown comes amid broader societal collapse and sustained protest momentum. Nationwide strikes have intensified pressure on the clerical regime, as the Iranian rial plummets and daily life becomes increasingly unlivable.
At the same time, senior Tehran officials have escalated anti-American rhetoric — even as mounting internal unrest threatens the regime’s stability. On Monday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf insisted Iran would teach the “delusional” and “arrogant” President Trump a “lesson that will never be forgotten,” as he vowed U.S. forces would be “burned by the fire of Iran’s defenders” while insisting, “We are your opponent.”
The growing crackdown has turned Iran’s crisis into a direct threat to United States interests and regional stability. For President Trump, it reinforces his pledge to confront the regime — following briefings on military options reportedly under consideration, including potential airstrikes, cyber operations, and psychological campaigns targeting Iranian command and media systems.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.