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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that anyone leaking information out of his own White House should face execution, in an escalation of violent rhetoric against leakers and journalists.

“Somebody leaked, some sleazebag. They ought to go to jail or be shot,” Trump told the audience.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Arizona on Wednesday, Trump framed his remarks in terms of the start of the war with Iran, “when they leak what time you’re going to attack a country,” the president said. However, no such “leak” has been confirmed to have occurred at that point in time.

After the war began, a White House leak revealed assessments from U.S. Defense intelligence that contradicted the president’s public claims about the impacts of initial strikes on Iran.

“The leakers should be dealt with very, very strongly. … To me, they’re the scum of the Earth,” the president added at the rally.

Trump Floats Treason Charges Against Media Outlets Over Iran War Coverage

Trump: "In my opinion, leakers should be shot. In the old days we used to shoot leakers."— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) 2026-10-14T21:35:22.772Z

Trump: "In my opinion, leakers should be shot. In the old days we used to shoot leakers."

Trump also directed his ire........

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