Trump weighs support for armed Iranian opposition groups - report
The White House says the president is speaking with ‘many regional partners,’ as the Kurds are seen as key player
US President Donald Trump is open to supporting groups in Iran willing to take up arms to dislodge the regime, according to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal. The report says the idea could position Iranian factions as ground forces at least rhetorically backed by Washington as the conflict with Tehran deepens.
Officials told the paper that Trump spoke on Sunday with Kurdish leaders and is continuing to engage other local leaders who might “exploit Tehran's weaknesses” to make gains. The Kurds maintain a sizable force along the Iraq‑Iran border, and Israel has bombed positions in western Iran, prompting speculation that this could pave the way for a Kurdish advance.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that “President Trump has spoken with many regional partners,” without explicitly confirming his intentions toward armed groups. Axios first reported Trump’s call with Kurdish leaders, describing it as part of wider outreach coordinated closely with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long advocated for regime change in Tehran.
US officials quoted by the Journal said Trump has not made a final decision on whether to provide weapons, training, or intelligence support to anti‑regime organizations. In his address announcing the start of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, Trump urged Iranians to “take over your government” and said, “America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force,” signaling political support for a broader uprising.
On Tuesday, Trump twice shared on social media a Washington Post opinion piece outlining what the author called a “Trump doctrine” on Iran. “There is no need for a US invasion force,” columnist Marc Thiessen wrote in the article. “The Iranian people are the boots on the ground.” The framing suggests a strategy that relies on internal armed opposition rather than large‑scale American ground deployments.