OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
10:05 AM – Saturday, February 28, 2026
The Trump administration and Israel have jointly struck Iran, a move which the president believes will allow citizens to “take over” its government, which has reportedly killed tens of thousands of protesters in recent months.
In a video posted to Truth Social and X, President Donald Trump explained that the United States’ policy has always been that the Iranian “terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon,” due to its decades-long record of violence against other nations, as well as its own citizens.
To the Islamic Revolutionary Guard and other law enforcement in Iran, Trump’s message was: “Lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.”
President Trump: “You must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity or, in the alternative, face certain death.”
— One America News (@OANN) February 28, 2026
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To the citizens of Iran, Trump said, “The hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere.”
He continued, however, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
“For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. … So let’s see how you respond,” Trump stated. “America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action.”
President Trump: “To the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand.”
— One America News (@OANN) February 28, 2026
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In an interview with The Washington Post on Saturday morning, Trump said that his main concern was for the Iranian people’s “freedom.”
“All I want is freedom for the people,” Trump said when asked what he hoped the legacy of the night’s military action would be. “I want a safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have.”
The Trump administration seemingly tapped into its goal of “peace through strength,” a Reagan-era strategy, by cracking down hard on Iran to prevent its regime from further threatening U.S. national security by obtaining nuclear weaponry. Saturday morning’s attack has been framed as a continuation of “Operation Midnight Hammer” in June, in which the U.S. struck Iran-backed militia positions in Iraq and Syria, in addition to an attempt at regime change, which Trump signaled support for this month.
“We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” Trump asserted in his video, adding, that his administration would also “annihilate their navy.”
As ruthless as Trump said his administration would be against Iran’s Islamic regime, he assured that it has also “taken every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel in the region,” while acknowledging that Americans would be risking their lives in the ongoing military activities.
“I do not make this statement lightly: The Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties,” the president said. “That often happens in war. But we’re doing this not for now, we’re doing this for the future and it is a noble mission.”
President Donald J. Trump on the United States military combat operations in Iran: pic.twitter.com/LimJmpLkgZ
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 28, 2026
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