President Donald Trump spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., to Joint Base Andrews on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)
The comments came just days after Trump warned the U.S. would respond forcefully if the Iranian regime escalates its crackdown.
"Iran’s in big trouble," he said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully."
EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE SAYS REGIME ‘VERY CLOSE TO COLLAPSING' AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST
Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)
The Associated Press reported Sunday that activists claimed at least 544 people have been killed, with more feared dead. Tehran also warned that the U.S. military and Israel would be considered "legitimate targets" if the U.S. intervenes to protect demonstrators.
More than 10,600 people have been detained during the more than two weeks of protests, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which the AP noted has been accurate during previous unrest. The group said 496 of those killed were protesters and 48 were members of security forces.
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Authorities also imposed a sweeping internet blackout this week, largely cutting Iran off from the outside world as anti-regime protests spread and officials escalated threats of harsh punishment.
Fox News' Efrat Lachter and Brie Stimson, as well as The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-iran-starting-to-cross-us-red-lines-protesters-die-government-crackdown