‘Some people will die’: Trump says Americans may face attacks at home amid Iran war

US President Donald Trump said Americans would not be wrong to fear retaliatory attacks on US soil as the conflict with Iran continues, acknowledging in a new interview that the risks associated with war could extend beyond the battlefield. 

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In an interview with Time magazine for its cover story titled “Trump’s War,” the President was asked whether Americans should be worried about potential retaliation from Iran inside the United States. 

“I guess,” Trump said when asked if such concerns were reasonable. “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.” 

“Like I said, some people will die,” the 79-year-old president added. “When you go to war, some people will die.” 

The remarks come as the conflict with Iran, triggered by joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets, continues to escalate with no clear timeline for when the fighting might end. 

During the same interview, Trump said the war does not have a fixed deadline. “I have no time limits on anything,” he said. “I want to get it done.” 

Trump also suggested that ending the conflict could involve changes to Iran’s leadership following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli strike on February 28. 

“One of the things I’m going to be asking for is the ability to work with them on choosing a new leader,” Trump said. “I’m not going through this to end up with another Khamenei. I want to be involved in the selection. They can select, but we have to make sure it’s somebody that’s reasonable to the United States.” 

While the President acknowledged the possibility of retaliation, other members of his administration sought to reassure Americans that domestic security risks remain under control. 

Speaking at a briefing at US Central Command in Florida, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he had no concerns about the safety of the US homeland. 

“I don't have any concerns about whether or not the homeland will be covered down on,” Hegseth said. 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also said authorities are closely monitoring potential threats. 

“I am in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland,” Noem said. 

The conflict has already resulted in American casualties overseas. Six Americans were killed when an unmanned aircraft struck a US facility in Kuwait during the fighting. However, no attacks linked to the conflict have so far taken place inside the United States. 

Attacks and plots by foreign adversaries and extremist groups within the US were a recurring feature during the early-2000s war on terror, raising concerns among security officials about the possibility of similar threats emerging again as tensions with Iran escalate.