Here’s what Americans need to know.
Iran has sharply escalated its hostile rhetoric toward President Donald Trump, airing what many observers describe as a direct and deeply disturbing threat during a state-run television broadcast on Wednesday.
During a segment on Iran’s Islamic Republic television network, viewers were shown a graphic image of President Trump taken from the aftermath of the 2024 campaign rally shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania. Accompanying the image was a chilling message that read, “This time, the bullet won’t miss.” The broadcast is being viewed as one of the most explicit threats ever issued by the Iranian regime against a U.S. president.
The warning comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify. President Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States will respond decisively if Iran persists in violently suppressing its own people amid growing domestic unrest.
Reports indicate the image first appeared at a pro-government rally inside Iran and depicted President Trump injured following the Butler attack, when a gunman shot him in the ear during a campaign appearance. Footage from the rally aired despite widespread government-ordered media and internet blackouts intended to limit coverage of nationwide protests.
Iran’s ruling regime has a well-established record of issuing threats toward President Trump. In 2022, Iranian media circulated a propaganda video depicting a staged attack at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf course in the lead-up to the 2024 election. The footage later drew renewed attention following the arrest of Ryan Routh, who was taken into custody after allegedly attempting to target Trump at the same property.
U.S. officials have confirmed that these threats have extended beyond propaganda. In 2024, the Department of Justice revealed it had disrupted an Iranian-linked plot targeting President Trump. According to court documents, Farhad Shakeri was arrested after allegedly receiving instructions from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps to carry out an assassination on behalf of the regime.
Inside Iran, pro-government demonstrations have featured crowds chanting “Death to America” while publicly pledging loyalty to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Analysts believe these rallies are intended to counter massive anti-regime protests that have swept the country since late December.
Those protests have been driven by economic collapse, rising inflation, and public frustration with decades of authoritarian rule. The regime’s response has been severe. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that more than 2,500 people have been killed since the unrest began, with thousands more detained or imprisoned.
As instability continues to grow within Iran, tensions with the United States have also risen. President Trump has stated that military options remain under consideration should the regime’s violent repression persist. Iranian officials have responded with threats of retaliation against U.S. forces in the region and against Israel if American military action is taken.
The latest broadcast underscores the increasingly hostile posture of the Iranian regime and highlights the serious security threats surrounding President Trump as geopolitical tensions continue to mount.
