President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that the United States would respond forcefully if Iranian authorities proceed with hanging protesters amid continuing unrest in Iran.
“We will take very strong action if they do such a thing,” Trump told CBS News in an interview when asked about reports that executions could begin as early as Wednesday.
‘The End Game Is to Win,’ Trump Says
When pressed on his ultimate objective, Trump said, “The end game is to win. I like winning,” according to the interview. He also repeated a message he had earlier shared on social media, telling Iranian protesters that “help is on its way.”
The interview took place while Trump was in Michigan, where he toured a manufacturing plant and delivered remarks focused on the U.S. economy.
Uncertainty Over Scale of Violence
Trump said the true scale of the bloodshed in Iran remains unclear. “I hear numbers — look, one death is too much — but I hear much lower numbers, and then I hear much higher numbers,” he said.
Later, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was awaiting a detailed briefing on the situation. “The killing looks like it’s significant, but we don’t know yet for certain. I’ll know within 20 minutes — and we’ll act accordingly,” he said.
What Is Happening in Iran?
Trump has previously warned that Washington would intervene if protesters were killed, a threshold he said has already been crossed. Concerns have intensified that Tehran may use executions to suppress unrest after prosecutors said some detainees could face capital charges of moharebeh, or “waging war against God.”
Rights groups have raised alarms over the potential use of swift trials and executions. Amnesty International said there are growing fears authorities could resort to arbitrary executions to crush dissent.
Rights Groups Cite Imminent Execution Fears
Iran Human Rights cited the case of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, arrested in Karaj near Tehran, who according to a family source has reportedly been sentenced to death and could be executed soon.
Trump said the U.S. would not accept reports of mass killings or executions. “If they want to have protests, that’s one thing. When they start killing thousands of people, and now you’re telling me about hanging — we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not going to work out good,” he said.
