Latest on U.S.–Iran Tensions & Trump Military Options

January 12, 2026

Washington, D.C. — In perhaps the most consequential national security moment of the post-9/11 era, President Donald J. Trump is once again confronting the world’s foremost state sponsor of terror — the Islamic Republic of Iran — with the full weight of American resolve. As nationwide protests against the brutal clerical regime spiral into violence, Trump has kept America’s military options firmly on the table — including targeted airstrikes against Iranian regime infrastructure and strategic assets.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made it crystal clear Monday that Trump “keeps all options on the table,” underscoring that airstrikes would be among “the many, many options” available to the commander-in-chief should Tehran continue to slaughter its own people and defy global norms. Diplomacy, she added, remains a preference *only if it produces real results — not more empty rhetoric from a brutal regime.

This marks a stark departure from the cynical appeasement of the past. Under Trump, America is no longer bound by limp hand-wringing over “what will the world think?” — we’re focused on protecting American interests and backing freedom wherever tyrants suffocate it.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi claims the government has the protests “under total control,” brushing aside reports of hundreds — potentially **over 500 — killed** in state violence against demonstrators calling for freedom and reform. The regime’s blackout of the internet and heavy security presence betray a frightened elite clinging to power.

But the Iranian clerical state’s confidence at home doesn’t translate to confidence abroad. Outsiders — especially freedom-loving Americans — see the regime for what it is: a brutal dictatorship that has sponsored terrorism across the Middle East for decades.

Trump has indicated that Iran has reached out *to negotiate* after his tough warnings, but he has also stressed that the United States may have to “act” before talks happen if the regime continues mass repression.

Let’s be clear: “negotiations” from Tehran haven’t meant concessions — they’ve meant stalling tactics while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard continues to murder its own citizens and finance proxy wars throughout the region. Trump’s readiness to pivot to military options reflects the seriousness with which he takes Iran’s double game.

Iran’s clerical rulers have openly threatened retaliation against U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East. They’ve aligned with terror proxies to ensure that any American red line becomes a line in the sand — to be tested again and again. Yet under Trump, Iran is discovering that American resolve isn’t negotiable.

Hardliners in Washington argue that a measured demonstration of force — such as limited strikes at regime military nodes — would serve as both a blow to Tehran’s terror apparatuand a powerful message that America still backs liberty and order in the world.

American conservatives have long held that strength preserves peace. Weakness invites aggression. Middle East tyrants like Tehran’s mullahs have learned little from history except that they respond to pressure only when consequences are real. Meanwhile, courageous Iranian citizens — many risking their lives for freedom — deserve more than hollow declarations from despots and global bureaucrats. They deserve a world where the United States stands with them, not against them.

If Trump ultimately orders military action, it will not be because he *wants* war — it will be because a terror-sponsoring regime has proven time and again that **only strength deters cruelty.

This White House is prepared to act — and that is a testament to American resolve in the face of global disorder.

Stay tuned with Capitol Times for continuing coverage as events unfold — America first, strength maintained, tyranny challenged.