The White House said that it was unaware of the alleged threat aired on Iranian state television against United States President Donald Trump. US Press
Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the footage of the Iranian TV will be examined, and she could not yet comment on its authenticity. Iranian state television had aired what appeared to be a direct threat against Trump, using imagery from the 2024 assassination attempt. US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "I've not seen that, to be honest. We'll take a look and I'll let the President and his national security team examine that footage to ensure its legitimacy." Iran Protests Live Updates "Again, I haven't seen it so I can't comment on it. What I will say with respect to Iran is that the President and his team have communicated to the Iranian regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences. And the President received a message, as he revealed to all of you and the whole world yesterday, that the killing and the executions will stop. And the President understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted. And so the President and his team are closely monitoring this situation and all options remain on the table for the President," she said at a press conference.
VIDEO | When asked about broadcast of threat from Iranian State TV to US President Donald Trump, US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) says, "I have not seen that, to be honest. We'll take a look and I'll let the President and his national security team examine that… pic.twitter.com/igCb3Re3ux
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 15, 2026
Amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, Iranian State Television broadcasted an image of Trump from the 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he survived an assassination attempt after being shot in the ear, with the message - "This time it will not miss the target," according to news agency Agence France-Presse.
Screenshots shared online showed the image aired on Iranian state-run television during what appeared to be a pro-government rally. The broadcast took place despite widespread communications blackouts imposed amid nationwide protests.
Trump was targeted during the Butler rally by gunman Thomas Crooks, who fired shots from a nearby rooftop before being killed by security personnel. Notably, Iran has previously been linked to threats against Trump. In 2022, a video circulated online depicting a simulated assassination attempt on him at his Mar-a-Lago golf course in Florida. The video resurfaced after the arrest of Ryan Routh, who was detained while allegedly attempting to target Trump at the same location.
US court documents also show that in 2024, the Justice Department said it disrupted an Iranian-linked plot to assassinate Trump. Prosecutors alleged that Farhad Shakeri had been tasked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with carrying out the killing.
