One of Donald Trump's most hawkish allies in Congress has publicly urged the US President to throw his weight behind protesters in Iran, as demonstrations rock the country for a second consecutive week.
Graham's Call for Action on Iran
The call from Senator Lindsey Graham comes amid growing speculation that the Trump administration may target other nations, following the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a US raid early on Saturday, 3 January 2026. Maduro and his wife appeared in a New York court on Monday 5 January, pleading not guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and a long-time advocate for military force against Iran, made his remarks during an appearance on Fox News on Sunday evening. He had just returned from President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida aboard Air Force One.
Speaking to former congressman Trey Gowdy, Graham stated he hoped Trump would "Make Iran Great Again", wearing a cap signed by the President earlier that day. He lambasted Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, as a "religious Nazi" who had "tortured, raped and maimed" his own people.
"All the people who have been protesting for the Palestinians, where are you today?" Graham challenged, adding, "The people are in open revolt... And unlike Obama, President Trump has not turned his back on the people of Iran."
Protests and US Policy
Graham's comments strongly insinuate support for US-backed regime change in Iran, a move most Americans oppose. Polls during last year's Iran-Israel conflict showed only 16% of Americans favoured US involvement.
Protests in Iran entered their ninth day on Monday, driven by dire economic conditions, food insecurity, and soaring inflation. These hardships have been worsened by punishing US-led "snapback" sanctions reinstated in late 2025, following alleged Iranian violations of the nuclear deal.
Sporadic reports from human rights monitors indicate security forces have opened fire on protesters in several instances, with at least 20 people reported dead and hundreds more arrested.
In response to the crackdown, President Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, warning, "If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue."
The Venezuelan Precedent and an Uncertain Future
The new year began with Trump's authorised strike on Caracas, after weeks of hints that action in Venezuela was imminent. The raid has thrown the country's future into doubt, with the US administration declining to name who it recognises as Venezuela's legitimate leader.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio could not provide a timeline for new elections on Sunday. Meanwhile, Trump himself offered a muddled picture, suggesting in a conversation with reporters on Air Force One that leading opposition figure Maria Corina Machado lacked the public respect to lead.
This sequence of events—from Venezuela to the escalating rhetoric on Iran—marks a significant and aggressive turn in US foreign policy, raising questions about further interventions under the Trump administration.
