Trump’s Iran briefing may be ‘deception campaign’ to mask moves already underway, expert says

A national security expert said President Donald Trump may already be prepared to act against Iran, suggesting a widely reported upcoming briefing on U.S. options could be intentional "deception" as deadly protests intensify in the country.

"President Trump definitely already has options in mind, and he has been regularly briefed by the military about the situation [in Iran]," Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said Monday on "Fox & Friends." 

"This briefing that's supposed to happen tomorrow might, in fact, be part of a deception campaign. It would not surprise me if President Trump initiated some kind of U.S. activity to support the protesters before that briefing."

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Trump is set to speak with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine as human rights groups report the Iranian regime has already killed more than 500 protesters.

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Widespread civil unrest in Iran began amid economic hardship as the theocracy's currency plunged to historic lows and has been fueled by dissatisfaction with political repression, corruption and clerical leadership. 

The government's response has been severe, including internet blackouts, mass arrests and the use of deadly force.

Heinrichs laid out some options available to Trump, such as cyberattacks, military strikes and deploying Starlink satellite internet to allow civilians to communicate.

Asked if Iran had crossed Trump's "red line" to trigger a response, the president replied, "They're starting to."

"We're looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we're looking at some very strong options," Trump said to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.

"We’ll make a determination."