Iranian state media released a propaganda video containing threats against First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump’s son Barron, marking an escalation in tensions between Tehran and the Trump administration.
The video, distributed by Tasnim News Agency-an outlet connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-surfaced this week and contained detailed imagery of locations frequented by the first lady in New York City. The production included targeting graphics overlaid on luxury retailers and outlined plans for potential harm.
What the Video Contained
The roughly two-minute clip, titled “How to Kill Melania Trump,” displayed images of the first lady’s motorcade and specific shopping locations including Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. Red circular targets were superimposed on store signs as a limousine passed.
The video suggested the first lady’s shopping visits could be “suitable for operations by global freedom fighters” and proposed contaminating purchased clothing with VX nerve agent, an odorless chemical weapon. It also identified three of Melania’s personal stylists and suggested bribing them to carry out such actions.
At the video’s conclusion, the threats extended to Barron Trump, who is 20 years old. The narrator stated, “This is just the beginning. Barron Trump, wait for us.”
Security Response
The Secret Service confirmed awareness of the video and stated it investigates all perceived threats to its protectees. Both Melania and Barron maintain full-time protective details, and all Trump family residences remain under heavy security.
The East Wing did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the video’s release.
Broader Pattern of Threats
The video represents part of a larger campaign by Iranian authorities against the Trump family. Last week, billboards appeared throughout Tehran calling for the death of President Trump and his relatives, including Melania, Don Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron.
One billboard featured altered images of Melania, Barron, and Ivanka with closed eyes and the word “KILLED” stamped across them, accompanied by the phrase “Hey, terrorist! Get ready to die.”
The threats intensified following a joint U.S.-Israel operation that resulted in the elimination of Iran’s supreme leader and other senior regime figures, prompting the escalation in hostile rhetoric.
Presidential Response
President Trump addressed the Iranian threats directly in recent comments to reporters. “I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” he said, adding that he had “left instructions-if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”
The president previously switched from a newly-constructed Air Force One to an older model when departing Turkey after a NATO meeting, citing security concerns related to Iranian threats.
Melania Trump has maintained a lower public profile in recent weeks, missing Friday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner due to what a source characterized as a “scheduling conflict.”
