Trump warns Iranian regime not to shoot protesters: 'We are locked and loaded and ready to go'

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Friday, January 02, 2026

President Donald Trump has warned the Iranian regime not to shoot peaceful protesters as citizens throughout that country participate in uprisings resulting from what the U.S. government has deemed “the mismanagement of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” 

In a statement posted to Truth Social Friday, Trump warned, “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’s social media post comes as the U.S. State Department has expressed concern on its Farsi language X account about “reports and videos showing that peaceful protesters in Iran are facing intimidation, violence, and arrests.”

“Demanding basic rights is not a crime; the Islamic Republic regime must respect the rights of the Iranian people and end the crackdown,” the State Department added.

In subsequent social media posts, the State Department added: “The mismanagement of the Islamic Republic of Iran regime in 2025 led to a series of simultaneous crises that devastated the daily lives of all Iranians. The economy went into freefall, and the inflation rate reached 52.6 percent by late December. The value of the rial plummeted to its lowest level, with each U.S. dollar trading at approximately one million four hundred and twenty thousand rials.”

Additional statistics listed by the State Department include a 72% increase in food prices, poverty rates of between 25% and 50%, a 50% unemployment rate among men between the ages of 25 and 40, over 170,000 hospital visits in a single week and 59,000 deaths throughout the year resulting from “toxic air pollution.” 

“The severe water crisis and ‘water bankruptcy’ meant that vast areas of the country had access to water for only a few hours a day,” the State Department added. “The electricity and energy crisis, including the deterioration of infrastructure and fuel shortages, resulted in frequent and prolonged blackouts and gas shortages.”

After lamenting the “censorship and internet disruptions,” the State Department called on the Iranian government to put a stop to “this cycle of crisis and oppression.” In a second social media post Wednesday, the State Department lamented the harsh treatment of Iranian prisoners and protesters. 

From 2024 to 2025, “Executions doubled, reaching the highest level in several decades. At least 59 prisoners died in Iran’s prisons, representing a 168 percent increase from the previous year. These deaths occurred for various reasons, including torture, lack of medical care, suicide, and the detention of political prisoners. More than 22,000 people were arrested for civic, political, or ideological activities, which is nearly 13 times more than in 2024. The arrest of religious minorities doubled. The arrest of individuals who expressed their views and beliefs increased 13-fold.”

Trump’s Truth Social post on Friday wasn't the first time this week that he has issued a warning to Iran. As he greeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a bilateral meeting at his Mar-a-Lago estate Monday, Trump urged Iran not to restart its nuclear program.

“Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again,” Trump said. “If they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully, that’s not happening.” 

In response to Trump’s threat on Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement on X Tuesday vowing that “The response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to any oppressive aggression will be harsh and regrettable.” 

The renewed tension between the U.S. and Iran comes just over six months after the U.S. conducted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Trump asserted that the airstrikes “completely and fully obliterated” the key nuclear facilities.