Earlier this week, Iranian state television broadcast a disturbing threat aimed at former President Donald Trump, alluding to the near-fatal incident he experienced during his campaign in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
The broadcast included an image of a protester at a pro-Iranian regime event holding a sign. The sign displayed a well-known photograph of Trump on stage with a bloodied ear, the result of a bullet grazing him during the Butler campaign event. The image captured the moment Secret Service agents rushed to protect him.
Accompanying the image was a caption in Farsi, reading, “This time, it (the bullet) won’t miss,” as reported by i24 news correspondent Amachia Stein, who shared the screenshot on his social media account.
The U.S. Secret Service has acknowledged its awareness of the photo.
A screenshot from the Iranian broadcast, dated January 2026, shows the threat against Trump. (Image credit: Iranian State TV; Amachia Stein via social media)
During the Pennsylvania campaign rally, Trump narrowly avoided a potentially fatal injury by turning his head just before the bullet struck. In a show of defiance, he stood and raised his fist, shouting “Fight, fight, fight,” before being escorted off the stage by his security team.
The threat comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran, and as the Iranian people rise up against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s brutal regime.
The protests stemmed from the cloistered Middle Eastern country’s economic crisis, which has become increasingly dire as the value of the Rial, Iran’s currency, has plummeted.
The regime has cracked down hard on the protesters, with state-sanctioned killings estimated to be in the thousands.
Former President Donald Trump raises his arm with blood on his face during a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump at Butler Farm Show Inc. on Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. Trump ducked and was taken offstage after loud noises were heard after he began speaking. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency announced that 1,847 of the dead were protesters and 135 were members of Iran’s security forces. Other reports say the death toll is more than 3,000 people, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been weighing military action to stop the slaughter of civilians.
“I have canceled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” Trump posted to Truth Social Tuesday.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks after casting his vote for the presidential runoff election on July 5, 2024, in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
At least one U.S. aircraft carrier has been moved to the region, military sources told Fox News Digital. Those same sources said missile defense systems are expected to be deployed in the region to protect U.S. and allied military bases.
On Thursday afternoon, Trump told the media that “very important sources on the other side” informed him that Iran has halted the execution of protesters, but said he is keeping an eye on the situation.
As for whether military action is imminent, Trump remained noncommittal, reiterating that he is monitoring the situation.
