Trump Considering “Very Strong Options” Against Iranian Regime

President Donald Trump said Sunday night that Iran is “starting to cross” his red line, warning that the United States is weighing “very strong options” amid reports of a deadly crackdown on protesters and rising regional tensions.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked whether the Iranian regime had crossed the threshold he previously set, pledging action if protesters were killed. “They’re starting to cross it. It looks like it,” he said. “There seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed… They rule through violence.”

The remarks highlighted an escalation in Washington’s tone as the White House signaled readiness and the Pentagon prepared briefings on possible responses. Trump said the U.S. military was closely monitoring developments. “Our military is looking at this very closely,” he said, adding that the administration is “looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination.”

Hours earlier, the official White House account posted a short message that drew wide attention online: “God bless our troops… we’re just getting started.” The post, published amid mounting unrest inside Iran, was widely interpreted as a deliberate signal of U.S. resolve rather than routine rhetoric.

Trump also said the administration was balancing pressure with diplomacy, revealing that Tehran had reached out to Washington. “Yesterday, the leaders of Iran called. They want to negotiate,” he said. “We may meet with them. A meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”

Alongside the messaging, multiple reports circulated of U.S. military aircraft activity in the region. According to online flight-tracking accounts and journalists monitoring open-source data, American KC-135R aerial refueling tankers and B-52 bombers were observed operating from the direction of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, near Iranian airspace. U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed the movements.

According to U.S. media reports, Trump is expected to receive a decisive Pentagon briefing on Tuesday outlining response options. Those discussions are said to include military deterrence measures alongside cyber and information operations, though officials cautioned that major action could carry regional risks. 

Iranian leaders responded with sharp threats of their own. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned that if the United States strikes Iran, “all U.S. bases in the region and the occupied territories will be legitimate targets.” Iranian officials accused Washington and Israel of fomenting unrest and said any attack would draw retaliation.

Senator Lindsey Graham suggested the Iranian regime was nearing its end, saying events could be reaching a decisive moment. “This might be the night,” Graham said. “It’s just a matter of time now. This tyrannical regime needs to end—for the good people of Iran, for our own security, and for the people of Israel.”