US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
'32,000 people were killed during crackdown in Iran', says Donald Trump
Trump's claim of 32,000 deaths in January protests exceeds previous estimates of up to 20,000 amid internet blackouts hindering verification, raising tensions over U.S. policy on Iran.
- On February 20, 2026, President Donald Trump said 32,000 people were killed during January protests in Iran at a White House news briefing, without providing a source for the figure.
- Amid an internet blackout, reports indicate the crackdown on January 8 and 9 was particularly severe, with one Iranian man describing what sounded like a massacre to CBS News.
- Two sources told CBS News that at least 12,000 to 20,000 people were killed, while HRANA reported over 50,000 arrests, and Trump said, `'They were going to hang 837 people, and I gave them the word...'
- U.S. military forces have been building up in the region, moving the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group closer, while national security officials said forces are ready for possible strikes as soon as Saturday.
- On Thursday, Trump warned Iran it had 10 to 15 days to reach a meaningful deal and urged Iranian leaders to negotiate a fair nuclear agreement while U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani warned any strike would make U.S. assets legitimate targets.
Insights by Ground AI
4 Articles
4 Articles
Trump Says 32,000 People Were Killed in Iran’s Clampdown on Protesters
President Donald Trump said on Feb. 20 that 32,000 people had been killed in Iran during the regime’s violent clampdown on protesters. Trump revealed the death toll after a reporter asked him if he had a message to the Iranian people during a Feb. 20 press conference about the Supreme Court’s decision to rule against his tariffs. “You know, the people of Iran are a lot different than the leaders of Iran, and it’s a very, very, very sad situation…
·New York, United States
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources4
Leaning Left0Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
C 75%
R 25%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
