Donald Trump calls for extreme punishments for those who disclose information about U.S. military operations: “They should be shot”

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday, at an election rally held in Arizona, that people who disclose information about United States military operations to the press “should be shot.” The statements were reported on Thursday by the DPA and EFE news agencies and picked up by Agerpres.

Trump called those who leak information “scum” and argued that they should be punished “very, very harshly.” He referred to situations in which the time and nature of a military attack are publicly revealed, arguing that such operations may be motivated by self-defense and the need to prevent a state from obtaining weapons capable of causing massive casualties.

The statements come amid tensions between Washington and Tehran. In June 2025, the United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan as part of the “Midnight Hammer” operation. Trump maintains that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, while Iranian authorities say that the nuclear program has exclusively civilian purposes.

The president’s message was also issued against the backdrop of the debate over the death penalty in the U.S. military. The execution would reportedly be the first by firing squad carried out by the U.S. military since 1945 and the first military execution since 1961. Trump also criticized journalists and accused several media outlets of spreading false information. Previously, his administration had restricted their access to the White House, but a federal judge temporarily suspended the ban.