President Donald Trump was seeking to send a “strong warning” to Iran on Friday when he suggested in an early morning Truth Social post that the US would forcibly intervene if Tehran shot and killed protesters. But as of now, there have been no major changes to troop levels in the region and no direct action has been taken, officials told CNN.
“At this point it was a strong warning, no action has been taken that I’m aware of,” a White House official said.
Trump had provocatively written just before 3 a.m. on Truth Social, “If Iran shots [sic] 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.” The post — the administration’s first official statement on the deadly protests that have broken out across several of Iran’s provinces this week — drew immediate backlash from Iranian officials, who warned that American troops in the region could be targeted if Washington were to intervene.
Though the remark appeared to suggest military action, a US official said that no major changes have been made to troop levels, nor have their been preparations in the Middle East. US Central Command declined to comment. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.
The US has a variety of options to support Iranian protesters, according to officials familiar with the matter, though many stop short of full military intervention. Among them are steps previously taken by President Joe Biden’s administration during widespread protests in 2022, such as bolstering internet connectivity using satellites, which would stymie efforts by the regime to cut off access to information. It could also include new sanctions against regime figures or sectors of Iran’s economy.
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