Trump Suggests 'Leakers Should Be Shot' Amidst Tirade on Iran War Run-up

Former President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that "leakers should be shot" during a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, expressing frustration over what he described as leaks of information related to the lead-up to the Iran war.

Trump's remarks came as he addressed a crowd supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Representative Andy Biggs. The rally, intended to bolster Biggs's campaign against incumbent Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, saw Trump diverge into a series of grievances.

He specifically targeted "leakers" and their connection to the press, recounting an incident he claimed occurred before a U.S. strike on Iran. Trump asserted that information about the departure of B-2 bombers from their base in Missouri was leaked to The New York Times and CNN, forcing him to postpone the planned strike in June 2025. Both outlets had reported on the bomber movements the day prior to the intended attack.

"Somebody leaked, some sleazebag. They ought to go to jail, or be shot, for the rest of their life. They should be in jail," Trump told the rally attendees, who responded with cheers and applause. He added, "In the old days we used to shoot leakers," calling them "the scum of the earth."

The former president then attempted to justify the decision to engage in conflict with Iran, stating, "If they have a nuclear weapon, the whole world could be blown up, and we have to stop them." He acknowledged that the war had impacted gasoline prices, a factor he claimed to monitor closely. "I hated to do it, and I knew gasoline would go high, but I had no idea - I thought it was going to go much higher, to be honest with you," he said.

During his address, Trump also resurrected unsubstantiated claims of election fraud regarding Hobbs's 2022 victory over Kari Lake, who was endorsed by Trump.

Trump has a series of rallies scheduled for the week, with plans to travel to Kalispell, Montana, before returning to Washington, D.C.