On the August 7, 2026 episode of the 'School of War' podcast, Sen. Ted Cruz stated that the U.S. objective in Iran should be regime collapse and advocated arming protesters. The remarks occur during the sixth month of U.S.-Iran conflict that began with strikes one month after Cruz's January call to arm demonstrators. Iranian authorities have killed at least 12,000 people in prior crackdowns on protests against the clerical regime that has ruled since 1979.