Trump also announced a 25% tariff for ‘any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran’ – key US politics stories from 12 January
Last week, as growing protests in Iran were met with violent crackdowns, Donald Trump issued a threat to the country’s leadership: “You’d better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting too.”
This week the White House is doubling down on Trump’s saber-rattling.
Speaking to Fox News, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said although diplomacy remained Trump’s “first option”, he was “unafraid to use the lethal force and might of the United States military if and when he deems that necessary”.
“Airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the commander-in-chief,” Leavitt continued, adding: “He’s made it quite clear he certainly doesn’t want to see people being killed in the streets of Tehran, and unfortunately, that’s something we’re seeing right now.”
