PDB Afternoon Bulletin | January 13th, 2026: Trump Speaks Directly To Iran’s Protesters As Crackdown Grows
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
It's Tuesday, the 13th of January. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. First up, President Trump issues a statement directly to Iranian protesters, urging them to keep up the fight and promising, quote, help is on its way. We'll have the details. Later in the show, Ukraine continues efforts to degrade Russia's energy infrastructure and primary revenue stream, with Kiev's forces hitting Russian oil platforms in territory that was once considered safe by Moscow. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. After watching Iran's leadership answer mass demonstrations across the country with bullets and communications blackouts, President Trump has a message for Iran's protesters, telling them to stay on the streets and promising that help is on its way.
Trump's statement came as Iranian authorities themselves acknowledged that roughly 2,000 people have been killed in mass demonstrations since late December. And when the regime says the number is 2,000, Well, it's highly likely that the number is higher. Iran International, a Persian-language television channel based in the UK, has put the death toll closer to 12,000. Still, because of the regime's communications blackout, it's impossible to know for sure. Iran's internet shutdown has now stretched beyond 100 hours, making any figure difficult, if not impossible, to independently verify. In a message posted to Truth Social this morning, Trump wrote, "'Iranian patriots, keep protesting. Take over your institutions.'"
He urged demonstrators to document those responsible for violence, adding, "'Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.'" The president closed out his post, telling the Iranian people that, quote, help is on its way.
What message did President Trump deliver to Iranian protesters?
Now, if you're wondering what help ultimately looks like, well, that's the big question, and it remains unclear. President Trump is expected to review options with his national security team today. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt told reporters yesterday that airstrikes were among the, quote, many, many options that the president is considering, though she added that diplomacy remains the preferred first step. That said, the window for diplomacy may be closing rapidly if it hasn't already. President Trump also said he's canceled all meetings with Iranian officials, quote, until the senseless killing of protesters stops, effectively freezing the diplomatic track that he had previously left open.
This all comes just hours after the president announced new secondary sanctions on the regime in response to its crackdown on demonstrators. In a Truth Social post last night, President Trump wrote, quote, Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the U.S. He called the order conclusive but offered no details on how the policy would be implemented or enforced or whether it would apply uniformly to all of Iran's trading partners. It puts Iran's trading partners on notice, forcing them to reassess their exposure and decide whether continued trade with Tehran is worth risking access to U.S. markets.
What happens next, of course, will depend on how Iran's leadership responds, not just to the protesters in the streets, but to the mounting pressure outside its borders. For now, the message from Washington is clear. The regime's options are narrowing, its partners are being forced to choose sides, and the cost of continuing their violent crackdown is rising by the hour. And there's one other factor that Iran's leadership will be weighing carefully. When President Trump issues public warnings like this, he has a recent track record of backing them up, often in ways that move quickly and catch adversaries off guard. Whether that follow-through comes diplomatically, economically, or militarily remains to be seen, but the regime has a reason to take the warnings seriously.
Now, There is no doubt that Trump's social media comments have an impact on the protesters out in the streets across Iran, particularly his talk of red lines against the regime or comments like help is on its way.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:12–2:08
2
What message did President Trump deliver to Iranian protesters?
2:08–6:02
3
What is the current situation regarding protests in Iran?
6:02–6:44
4
How has the Iranian regime responded to the protests?
6:44–12:59
5
What options is President Trump considering for Iran?
12:59–14:30
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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