After Urging Iranians To Rise Up, Trump Says Overthrowing Regime A ‘Very Big Hurdle’

Last Updated:March 14, 2026, 14:12 IST

Trump said Iranian people without weapons would struggle to remove the regime.

After repeatedly urging Iranians over the past months and weeks to prepare to take to the streets and seize power once the bombing stops, US President Donald Trump on Friday said it would be very difficult for them to overthrow the government. The Iran war is currently on its 15th day.

Speaking to host Brian Kilmeade on Fox News Radio, Trump said people without weapons would struggle to remove the regime.

“I really think that’s a big hurdle to climb for people that don’t have weapons," Trump said in response to a question about whether Iranians should rise up against their government. “I think it’s a very big hurdle," he added.

Trump’s comments came as his administration reportedly sent about 2,200 Marines on three navy ships to the Middle East, indicating a possible escalation of the Iran war.

According to a report by ABC News citing two unnamed US officials, a US Marine expeditionary unit of around 2,200 Marines has been dispatched to the region.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is permanently deployed to Japan, has been ordered to move to the Middle East.

Trump on Iran regime change

In his interview, Trump said regime change in Iran might happen but not immediately. “It’ll happen," Trump said, “but… maybe not immediately."

In the early days of the US-Israeli strikes in Iran, Trump repeatedly called on the Iranian people to prepare to seize institutions once the bombing stopped and overthrow the regime.

However, his administration has reportedly assessed that Iran’s leadership remains largely intact and is not at risk of collapse soon despite nearly two weeks of US and Israeli bombardment.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday night that he could not be certain that the Iranian people would rise up to overthrow the regime when the time comes, though he added that promised help had arrived and more would arrive.

When asked when he would know the Iran war was over, Trump replied, “When I feel it." “When I feel it in my bones," he said.

Trump on Iran’s New Supreme Leader

Trump was also asked about the fate of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. “I think he’s damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form," Trump told Fox News. Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was selected to replace his father and was reportedly wounded in the opening strikes of the war.

Russia’s role

Trump also said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin might be helping Iran. “I think he might be helping him a little bit, yeah, I guess. And he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?" Trump said.

The Washington Post reported last week that Russia had provided Iran with targeting information, including locations of US warships and aircraft in the Middle East.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff later said Russia had denied the claim and that “we can take them at their word."

Trump on uranium enrichment

When asked if there was a plan to recover more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from Iran, Trump said there was none at present. “No, not at all," he said. “We’re not focused on that. But at some point we might be."

Trump said the current focus was on weakening Iran’s military capabilities.

“Right now we’re focused on knocking the hell out of their missiles and their drones," he said, adding that nearly 90 per cent of Iran’s missiles had been destroyed.

“We had no idea it would be this far ahead. We’ve knocked out close to 90 per cent of their missiles," he said.

News world After Urging Iranians To Rise Up, Trump Says Overthrowing Regime A ‘Very Big Hurdle’

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