An AI-generated video released by Iran's Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has issued assassination threats against former First Lady Melania Trump and her son, Barron Trump. The video, published Monday, specifically targets Melania Trump's known shopping habits and locations in Manhattan.
The video's narrator, as quoted in the report, states, "Melania's obsession with fashion has become her biggest weakness." It highlights luxury department stores on Fifth Avenue, including Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue, as places she frequents. The video suggests these locations could be targets for "global freedom fighters" and offers indicators of her potential visits, such as missing trash bins or welded manholes along her routes.
Potential plots detailed in the video include poisoning the former First Lady or bribing her staff. The report also notes the video's mention of Melania Trump's Secret Service detail, its use of the identifier "Muse" for her, and claims that hospital staff near her frequented areas could provide information. The video lists other luxury retailers, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, and Michael Kors, as additional potential sites for an attack.
One method suggested for contaminating clothing involves the nerve agent VX, which the video claims can be lethal within two to 18 hours. The report states the video named three stylists on Melania Trump's team, suggesting that offering them large sums of money could elicit cooperation. The video concludes with the chilling message, "This is just the beginning," and "Barron Trump, wait for us!"
In recent days, billboards featuring threats against the Trump family, including images of Melania, Barron, and Ivanka Trump with their eyes obscured and the word "KILLED" superimposed, have reportedly been seen in Tehran. Iran has a history of alleged assassination attempts against the Trump family. The White House and the First Lady's Office have been contacted for comment.