GOP, Security Experts Rally Behind Trump Iran Warning: Actions and Consequences, Mullahs

President Donald Trump’s warning that the United States would intervene if Iran’s regime violently suppresses protesters drew swift backing from Republican senators, former U.S. officials, and security voices — with supporters invoking “actions and consequences,” praising Trump’s long-absent moral clarity, and drawing pointed contrasts with Barack Obama’s refusal to back Iranian protesters during the regime’s violent 2009 crackdown.

Trump issued the warning Friday on Truth Social as protests that erupted earlier this week spread nationwide across Iran amid a collapsing trial, merchant strikes, and reports that regime forces have already killed demonstrators. "If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Trump wrote. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”

The statement triggered a cascade of reactions on X, with lawmakers and analysts arguing Trump’s posture places Washington firmly on the side of the Iranian people — and signals that Tehran can no longer rely on the indulgence it once received from Washington. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, backed Trump’s stance without qualification. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) framed Trump’s approach as historically transformative. (Read More)