President Donald Trump declared during a midterm campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, on October 14, 2026, that government workers who leak classified military information should face execution, pointing to past leaks regarding military strikes on Iran.
Speaking to supporters at an airport rally as part of an intensive nationwide tour ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, the president voiced sharp frustration over past disclosures regarding military operations targeted at Iran’s nuclear facilities. Trump asserted that operational details regarding American bombers had reached the press before a classified mission.
Drawing applause from the crowd, Trump stated his position plainly regarding unauthorized disclosures. In my opinion, leakers should be shot,
he said, adding that past generations dealt similarly with sensitive security breaches. He told the crowd that leakers are the scum of the earth and should spend the rest of their lives in jail or be shot, asserting that information about when the U.S. was leaving and arriving had been published.
Operation Midnight Hammer and the Disclosed Timing of Strikes
The president linked his remarks to a preliminary report from the Defense Intelligence Agency and subsequent media coverage surrounding Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 stealth bomber strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Trump told the audience that The New York Times and CNN had published specific departure and arrival schedules for the mission.
According to Trump’s account, the reports indicated that B-2 Spirit stealth bombers were scheduled to depart from Missouri at 12:07. Claiming the disclosure compromised the operation’s element of surprise, Trump said he consulted with military leadership about how to proceed.
Not good, sir, but we can do it anyway.
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Trump stated that upon learning of the leak, he initially called off the raid. Two days later, however, the mission proceeded using the exact same departure schedule from Missouri, which he argued ultimately caught Iranian forces off guard.
Escalating Friction Between the Administration and the Media
Beyond calling for criminal penalties or fatal consequences for government sources, Trump turned his criticism toward the journalists covering his Arizona event, comparing reporters in the press section to leakers who traffic in unverified details. He pointed to journalists at the venue and labeled them almost as bad as a leaker because they leak false information, frequently without a source.
The administration has maintained an adversarial posture toward news organizations since Trump returned to office. Federal agencies have proposed requiring new and existing employees to sign strict nondisclosure agreements, while investigators subjected roughly 50 members of the military’s Joint Staff to polygraph examinations to trace the origins of leaked material, according to officials briefed on the matter. The administration has previously blocked MS NOW, Politico, and CNN reporters from the White House over coverage.
The ongoing push against unauthorized disclosures has also involved direct legal pressure on reporters.
Context of Military Firing Squads and Upcoming Midterm Elections
The speech followed recent events involving capital punishment within the military justice system.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that a joint task force had been established by the Department of War and the Justice Department to prosecute individuals who share sensitive information with the media.