Trump Doubles Down On ‘Some People Will Die’ Comment While Taking A ‘Guess’ On Retaliation From Iran

While Trump boasts about killing "all their leaders," American voters worry about retaliatory attacks to the home base.

President Donald Trump is taking a gamble on retaliation efforts from Iran, giving a response of “I guess” when asked about concerns of attacks on U.S. soil.

In an interview with Time, Trump said the United States is seemingly prepared for anything after Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28 in Tehran with one of the most expansive air operations in decades.

The attack killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in addition to several senior officials in line to become potential successors, something the president patted himself on the back about. “I’ve killed all their leaders. That room is gone,” Trump said.

The attacks also caused damage to civilian areas, killing more than 150 people after a barrage hit a girls school.

It’s these types of facts and comments that have caused grave concern from political leaders and American voters on retaliatory attacks at, to which Trump said, “I guess. But I think they’re worried about that all the time. We think about it all the time. We plan for it.

“But yeah, you know, we expect some things,” he added. “Like I said, some people will die. When you go to war, some people will die.”

Those were some of Trump’s comforting remarks in first announcing the conflict. He described those who lost their lives already as “patriots.”

While leaders are leaning on the possibility of a ceasefire, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that’s not happening.

“We are not asking for a ceasefire, and we don’t see any reason why we should negotiate with the U.S., when we negotiated with them twice and every time they attacked us in the middle of negotiations,” Araghchi said. “So there is no request for a ceasefire from us and there is no request for negotiation with the U.S. from us. We are waiting for them.”

He also said there is no need to go past American bases overseas, as the issue isn’t with American citizens.

“…I have been in touch with their foreign ministers, and I have explained that we are not targeting you,” he said. “We have no problem with you. We are only targeting the American installations.”

But their eyes are still on Trump. Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amol has publicly called for “Trump’s blood.”

“Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret [the] precedent it has set,” Araghchi said, according to The Hill.

The president seems to be backtracking on his campaign promises, including vowing to end wars, not to start them. Trump has authorized attacks in eight other countries, with three of them never experiencing direct attacks from U.S. forces before.

In 2025, he approved more individual airstrikes than former President Joe Biden did over four years.