| Published June 13, 2025
The terror leader called for attacks in the West and assassinations against US leadership among other threats in a video address.
In a chilling video that surfaced in early June, a senior al-Qaeda leader issued direct threats against prominent American political and business figures—including former President Donald Trump, Senator J.D. Vance, tech billionaire Elon Musk, and Senator Marco Rubio. This marked the most high-profile call for assassination by the terror group in years, renewing fears that global jihadist networks may be recalibrating their messaging and targeting strategies to match today’s ideological landscape.
The video, reportedly released by al-Qaeda’s media arm and widely circulated on encrypted platforms, described the targets as “scum of the earth” and called for their killings as acts of revenge and deterrence. The threats prompted federal investigations and a quiet tightening of security for those named.
A Shift in Targets: From the Pentagon to Pop Culture
Traditionally, al-Qaeda has directed its violent rhetoric and operational plans toward military and government institutions—U.S. embassies, the Pentagon, and symbols of Western interventionism. But this latest message reflects an expanded ideological battlefield. By naming Elon Musk, a tech mogul with limited government role, the group is signaling a recognition that global influence today is exercised not just in war rooms, but on social media and through private enterprise.
Elon Musk, as owner of X (formerly Twitter), has become a central figure in the global information space. He’s been praised by free-speech advocates and conservatives, and criticized by others for allowing controversial voices back on the platform. Al-Qaeda’s inclusion of Musk on the hit list may reflect the group’s growing hostility toward Western digital platforms that it views as both tools of influence and suppression.
Similarly, J.D. Vance, a rising Republican star and now Trump’s VP pick, has been vocal about foreign policy realignment—questioning U.S. entanglements in the Middle East. Ironically, this anti-interventionist stance hasn’t spared him from jihadist ire, possibly because of his close affiliation with Trump and his nationalist messaging.
Political Messaging Over Operational Capability
Experts say that while al-Qaeda’s core in Afghanistan and its affiliates in the Sahel and Yemen remain operational, the group has largely transitioned into an ideological franchise since the death of Osama bin Laden and the rise of ISIS. This means that such threats, while dangerous, are often designed more for incitement and propaganda than for imminent, coordinated attacks.
Dr. Michael Barak, a counterterrorism researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (as cited by The Jerusalem Post), emphasizes that these types of videos are not just threats—they’re recruitment tools. By naming polarizing figures, al-Qaeda seeks to tap into fringe anger across global Muslim communities and inspire lone-wolf actors or sympathetic cells.
It’s also notable that the video called on Muslims in the U.S. to act, reflecting the group’s continuing strategy of outsourcing violence to “homegrown jihadists” who require no formal training or logistical support.
Security Implications in an Election Year
The threats land at a precarious time. With the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign now fully underway, Trump is not only the Republican frontrunner but also more vocal than ever about his stance on immigration, Islamism, and Middle East policy. His return to the political arena, coupled with his open alignment with figures like Vance and Musk, could be perceived by jihadists as a symbolic “reopening” of ideological wounds from the early War on Terror years.
U.S. intelligence agencies, while acknowledging the video, have not confirmed any credible plots tied to it. However, security around Trump and others has reportedly been reinforced.
A Reminder of the Lingering Threat
Though ISIS captured the global spotlight in the mid-2010s, al-Qaeda has quietly persisted. In regions like Yemen, Mali, and Somalia, its affiliates remain lethal. Its media arms have become more sophisticated, merging traditional jihadist narratives with commentary on modern Western politics. This shows that while its operational power may have diminished, its ideological reach has not.
The inclusion of Rubio—a mainstream senator and former presidential candidate—suggests al-Qaeda still sees value in targeting long-term symbols of U.S. foreign policy consensus, particularly those seen as pro-Israel or anti-Iran.
Yemen’s Al Qaeda leader, Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki (photo credit: Canva, US State Dept/Rewards for Justice)
https://youtu.be/fbFTG3mbaxw?si=ip-lsrn4uFCjvM_3
Here are the key implications of al-Qaeda’s threats against Donald Trump, Elon Musk, J.D. Vance, and Marco Rubio—going beyond the immediate security concerns to explore broader political, ideological, and global consequences:
1. Revival of Global Jihadist Messaging
This video marks a renewed effort by al-Qaeda to remain relevant in global jihadist discourse. While ISIS had overshadowed al-Qaeda in recent years, this public death-threat campaign signals an attempt to reclaim ideological leadership by directly confronting high-profile Western figures. It’s a propaganda push meant to incite lone-wolf attacks and reawaken sleeper sympathizers.
2. Rise in Threats to Non-Government Figures
Targeting Elon Musk, a private tech executive, represents a shift. Al-Qaeda is no longer focused solely on traditional military or government actors—it’s now targeting cultural and digital influencers who shape public opinion and access to speech. This widens the scope of potential targets and challenges current security paradigms.
3. Increased Security Risks During U.S. Election Season
As the U.S. presidential election cycle intensifies, any such threats can escalate political tensions. With Trump and Vance central to the GOP campaign, and Rubio still influential in foreign policy, this development raises the threat level—not just physically, but also politically, as campaigns now navigate messaging around terrorism and national security.
4. Incentivizing Lone-Wolf Attacks
This wasn’t just a threat—it was a public call to action directed at Muslims living in the West. Al-Qaeda has long embraced decentralized terror through radicalized individuals. Even without centralized planning, one motivated person could attempt an attack, forcing U.S. security agencies to remain on high alert in the coming months.
5. Social Media Platforms Under Pressure
Given Musk’s ownership of X (Twitter), this threat places additional pressure on tech platforms to monitor jihadist content, disinformation, and radicalization pipelines. It raises the dilemma: how do platforms balance free speech and public safety while also being direct targets of terror groups?
6. Possible Foreign Policy Shift or Hardening
These threats may accelerate calls within the U.S. to harden foreign and domestic counterterrorism policy. Politicians previously seen as isolationist (like Vance) might face pressure to take more hawkish stances, while already tough-on-terror lawmakers could cite the threats to push for broader surveillance powers or preemptive action.
7. Dangerous Normalization of Political Violence
By including mainstream U.S. politicians and public figures in its kill list, al-Qaeda is feeding into an already volatile global environment where violence against political opponents is increasingly discussed or justified. This could legitimize extremist behavior across ideological lines—not just in jihadist circles.
Overall Takeaway:
This recent threat video may not indicate an imminent attack, but it underscores a dangerous evolution in al-Qaeda’s strategy. The group is now targeting the nexus of influence in the modern era: political insurgents, tech platforms, and culture-defining billionaires. This represents a shift in how jihadist ideologies perceive and confront the West—not only through bombs and bullets, but through symbols and networks of global power.
As the world approaches another U.S. election season, with geopolitical tensions already high from Gaza to Ukraine to Taiwan, such threats serve as a reminder that terrorism is as much about disruption and fear as it is about violence—and that no figure, regardless of their office or industry, is beyond its ideological scope.
SOURCES: ZEROHEDGE – “Go After The Scum Of The Earth” – Al-Qaeda Leader Urges Followers To Assassinate Trump, Vance, Musk, Rubio, Hegseth Over Gaza War
THE JERUSALEM POST – Yemen’s Al Qaeda leader threatens Trump, US officials, and Jews over Israel-Hamas War
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