Trump Doubles Down On Promise to Protesters: 'Help Is On Its Way'

[AcanthaV]

Source: Newsweek

Jan 13, 2026 at 07:44 AM EST


President Donald Trump doubled down on his promise to Iranian protesters during his wide-ranging speech in Detroit on Tuesday. Addressing "all Iranian patriots," Trump urged the demonstrators to "keep protesting, take over your institutions if possible, and save the name of the killers and the abusers.... because they'll pay a very big price."

"Help is on its way," he added, echoing the pledge he'd made in an earlier Truth Social post on Tuesday. "You saw that I put tariffs on anybody doing business with Iran. It just went into effect today. And I say make Iran great again. You know, it was a great country until these monsters came in and took it over." When asked earlier today to elaborate on what kind of "help" he was proposing, Trump declined saying, “You’re going to have to figure that one out. I’m sorry."

Meanwhile, the death toll from the nationwide protests in Iran has surpassed 2,000, according to human rights groups - a staggering figure not seen since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It comes as anti-government demonstrations persist despite a nationwide internet blackout and reports of lethal force used against civilians.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/iran-protests-death-toll-trump-tariffs-military-live-updates-11350796

[Eugene]

1. Such direct offers of outside support have always been counterproductive.

Dump is setting the protesters up as agents of "The Great Satan." The regime usually doubles down lethally as it is threatening to do now.

[GJGCA]

2. (IBL) More than 2,400 protesters reported killed in Iran as Trump says 'help is on its way'

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/iran-protests-trump-01-13-26

At least 2,403 protesters have been killed in Iran since anti-government demonstrations began in late December, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

The total includes 12 protesters under the age of 18, HRANA’s spokesperson confirmed to CNN. HRANA also reported at least 18,137 arrests since late December in its latest update.

The new total marks another significant increase in HRANA’s estimated death toll, up from at least 1,850 reported earlier on Tuesday.

CNN is unable to independently confirm HRANA’s figures, which the organization says are based on cases it can identify and verify. Given the ongoing internet blackout in Iran, it is possible the true toll is much higher.

[EX500rider]

3. 2,403 dead would be the equivalent of 8,891 US dead adjusted for population size nt