Donald Trump has responded to fresh threats from Iran targeting his youngest son, Barron, with a combative post on his Truth Social platform. The President wrote 'IRAN IS COMPLETELY COLLAPSING!!!' after Iranian state television aired a propaganda clip appearing to encourage attacks on his 20-year-old son.
Propaganda video and bounty
The video, titled 'How to Kill Melania Trump', reportedly offered tips about the First Lady's whereabouts and the designer stores she frequents. It ended with a direct threat towards Barron, saying: 'This is just the beginning. Barron Trump, wait for us.'
The clip included AI-generated images of Barron wearing an Arsenal shirt and playing his Xbox, along with suggestions for where he might meet people in New York's Trump Tower. According to a translation from Euronews Persian, the report claimed he has a 'digital sanctuary of his own' with communications limited to chats on the gaming console. It also stated that a bounty of $10,000,000 (£7,300,000) has been placed on the president's son.
Trump's response and economic threats
In his Truth Social post, Trump also shared a quote from Brandon Gill reading: 'If you hate Western civilisation, you don’t deserve to live in it.' The ramping threats prompted the administration to threaten an 'economic D-Day' against countries continuing to support Iran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote in an opinion piece in the Financial Times about how Trump and the US military have 'significantly dismantled Iran’s military capabilities and weakened its nuclear programme'. He praised Trump for doing what his 'predecessors refused to', but warned that countries who continue to enable Iran's economy will face an 'economic D-Day'.
'At dawn begins an economic D-Day — the single greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary,' he said.
Hardline approach and trade partners
Last week, Trump shared his hardline approach on Truth Social, writing: 'Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies — It all needs to stop NOW.'
Iran's largest trading partners include Turkey, China, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. However, just last week, the UAE said it was stopping all trade and financial transactions with Iran.
