Trump Backs Iranian Protests with 'Make Iran Great Again' Slogan

2026-01-06 politics

Washington D.C., Monday, 5 January 2026.
Amidst protests spanning 220 locations, President Trump signaled potential military intervention, endorsing demonstrators with a “Make Iran Great Again” slogan challenging Tehran’s authority.

Symbolic Escalation on Air Force One

On Sunday, January 4, 2026, President Donald Trump and Senator Lindsey Graham dramatically escalated tensions with Tehran by posing for a photograph on Air Force One with a hat emblazoned with the slogan “Make Iran Great Again.” [1][2] The hat notably featured the Iranian flag dating from before the 1979 Islamic revolution, signaling a direct ideological challenge to the current regime’s legitimacy. [1] This symbolic endorsement occurred as Senator Graham traveled with the President from Florida to Washington, D.C., with Graham publicly stating that the administration stands with the “brave people of Iran who are standing up to tyranny.” [2] The gesture accompanies a severe ultimatum from President Trump, who has threatened to intervene militarily if the Iranian government continues its violent crackdown on demonstrators. [1][2]

Widespread Unrest and Economic Collapse

The current wave of civil unrest, now in its ninth day as of Monday, January 5, has spread rapidly across the Islamic Republic. [3][4] According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), demonstrations have been reported in over 220 locations spanning 26 of Iran’s 31 provinces. [2] The crackdown has been lethal; reports indicate that at least 20 people have died, and over 990 individuals have been arrested since the protests began. [2] The western city of Malekshahi has emerged as a particularly violent flashpoint, where security forces reportedly killed at least five protesters. [3]

Reviving Military Tensions

President Trump’s rhetoric suggests a potential return to open conflict, explicitly warning that if Iranian security forces “start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.” [1] This threat carries significant weight given the recent history of direct military engagement between the two nations. In June 2025, the United States joined Israel in an attack on Iran, bombing three nuclear sites. [1] That conflict, which saw Iran retaliate by firing missiles at a U.S. airbase in Doha, concluded with a ceasefire that now appears fragile. [1] On December 29, 2025, the President had already threatened to renew hostilities if Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear program or missile arsenal. [1]

Sources

foreign policy geopolitical risk