President Donald Trump revealed Monday that the United States had attempted to arm Iranian anti-regime protesters, but that the weapons were diverted before reaching their intended recipients.

“We sent guns, a lot of guns, they were supposed to go to the people so they could fight back against these thugs,” Trump told reporters at a White House Easter event. “You know what happened? The people that they sent them to kept them.”

“They said, ‘What a beautiful gun. I think I’ll keep it,'” Trump claimed. “So I’m very upset with a certain group of people, and they’re going to pay a big price for that.”

Trump did not name the group in his Monday remarks, but on Sunday he had told a Fox News reporter that he believed Kurdish intermediaries were responsible. “We sent guns to the protesters, a lot of them… and I think the Kurds took the guns,” he said.

He continued his criticism of the Kurds later Monday at a White House press conference, saying he would prefer they stay out of the war entirely. “I’d rather have them stay away because I think they bring with them some problems and some difficulty,” he said. “They bring death… to themselves.”

The remarks shed new light on a covert effort to support the wave of anti-government protests that swept Iran in January. At the time, Trump had publicly vowed that “help was on the way” and urged Iranians to take to the streets and seize government institutions. After the Iranian regime launched a violent crackdown — reportedly killing tens of thousands — Trump pulled back from that posture and began military operations against Iran weeks later alongside Israel.

A Channel 12 investigative report published last week added further context, revealing that the U.S. and Israel had jointly planned for Kurdish militia forces to invade Iran at the outset of the war, hoping to trigger a broader rebellion that could topple the Islamic Republic. The plan was ultimately shelved due to media leaks, pressure from regional allies, and hesitation among the Kurds themselves.

Since the war began, both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have visibly moderated their regime-change rhetoric. Netanyahu has said several times in recent weeks that he cannot be certain the Iranian public will rise up, a notable shift from earlier proclamations of a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Iranians to overthrow their government.
Trump has since urged Iranians to wait until after the bombing campaign subsides before taking to the streets.

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