Trump is keeping his true intentions on Iran a mystery. The question he told journalists to “figure out for themselves”
US President Donald J. Trump addresses the media as he makes his way to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US on January 13, 2026. PHOTO: Shawn Thew / Pool via CNP /MediaPunch / imago stock and people / Profimedia
Asked what he meant by his social media post that “help is on the way” for protesters in Iran, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that they would have to find out for themselves..
“You'll have to figure it out for yourself. I'm sorry,” Trump responded to a question. The leader of the White House traveled to Detroit to give a speech about the state of the American economy.
Trump also told reporters that no one has been able to give him an exact number of protesters killed in the recent demonstrations that have swept across Iran.
Earlier on Tuesday, the US president encouraged Iranians who have been demonstrating in the streets for more than two weeks to continue their protests until the regime in Tehran is toppled, promising in a post on his Truth Social social network that “help is on the way”, without elaborating.
In his message, Trump also specified that he had “cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless killings of protesters stop.”
“Patriots of Iran, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!…HELP IS ON THE WAY,” Trump wrote.
“Continue the protests, take control of the institutions!”. Trump tells Iranians 'help is on the way' and says he has canceled all meetings with regime officials
On Saturday, Trump said in a post on the same platform that Iran “strives for freedom” and that the United States is “ready to help.” “Iran aspires to freedom like never before. The United States is ready to help!!!” the US president wrote on Truth Social at the time, amid the broad movement to challenge Tehran's power.
The Islamic Republic has been facing for more than two weeks one of the most important protest movements since its proclamation in 1979.
On Monday, Trump announced the imposition of a 25% tariff in the US on any country that trades with Iran. “Starting now, any country that trades with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a 25% tariff on any and all trades with the United States of America. This order is final and non-appealable,” the White House leader announced.
But despite the massive wave of protests and external pressure from Donald Trump, there are no signs of defections among the Islamic Republic's security elite. Although weakened, the regime is still holding on, Reuters noted.
About 2,000 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed in protests in Iran, an Iranian official told the same news agency on Tuesday, marking the first time authorities have acknowledged the high number of casualties caused by the intense repression unleashed by the Tehran regime.
And as the protests enter their third week, Donald Trump is under pressure to turn his words into action. In recent days, he has met with his advisers to discuss his options, although sources in Washington said he had not yet made a decision.
The Wall Street Journal wrote that the US leader's options include military strikes, expanding sanctions, using secret cyber weapons and providing online aid to anti-government sources.
