Washington: It’s not long before the United States launches strikes on Iran, if Donald Trump’s latest comments are any indication.
In a clear signal to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the US President backed protesters in Iran, cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and warned that those responsible for violence against demonstrators would “pay a big price.”
Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social in the early hours of Tuesday (local time) to encourage Iranians to continue their protests and document alleged abuses by authorities. Significantly, Trump is due to meet his national security team to discuss options in Iran soon.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote.
“I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS… HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” he added.
As the ongoing protests over economic hardship intensified across Iran, the government tried to quell the violence with a heavy security crackdown.
Iranian authorities blamed rioters and foreign-backed “vandals” for the violence, as opposition groups and human rights organisations accused security forces of using lethal force against demonstrators.
Reuters quoted an Iranian official as saying that about 2,000 people, including members of security forces, have been killed during the unrest.
The protests, which have been going on for over two weeks, are the most serious internal challenge faced by Iran’s clerical leadership in recent years.
There has been immense international pressure on the Khamenei regime after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran last year.
Trump warns of trillion-dollar refund crisis
On Monday, Trump issued a warning that the United States could face a trillion-dollar refund crisis if the country’s Supreme Court rules against his authority to impose sweeping tariffs.
Speaking aboard Air Force One and later on Truth Social, Trump said the country would be badly affected if the court decides he lacked unilateral power to enforce tariffs. He argued that such a ruling would force the government to refund hundreds of billions already collected, with broader economic effects potentially running into trillions.
“If the Supreme Court rules against the United States of America on this National Security bonanza, we are screwed! The actual numbers that we would have to pay back would be many hundreds of billions of dollars, and that doesn’t include the amount of ‘payback’ that countries and companies would require for the investments they are making on building plants, factories, and equipment. When these investments are added, we are talking about trillions of dollars! It would be a complete mess, and almost impossible for our country to pay,” Trump stated.
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing whether Trump’s tariff policies, framed as a matter of national security, exceeded presidential authority. The Court is expected to hear arguments and deliver its ruling in the coming weeks, though no exact judgment date has been announced yet. Legal experts say the case could redefine the scope of executive power in trade policy.
