Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki, the leader of Al Qaeda’s Yemeni arm, issued threats against US President Donald Trump and other American officials over the United States’ support for Israel in the war against Hamas.

The video, which surfaced online after being spread by Awlaki’s supporters, also threatened  US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of State Pete Hegseth as well as Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Calls for assassinations 

“Go after the scum of the earth and its greatest criminals. This is Trump and his VP. This is Elon Musk, his advisor and his supporter in terms of finance, administration, and technology. These are his Secretary of State and his Secretary of Defense. Go after their families, and all those who have any ties or are close to the politicians of the White House,” Awlaki said, according to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute. “There are no red lines after all that has been happening to our people in Gaza – the genocidal war, and the systematic, and deliberate killing of women, children, and the elderly. Reciprocal response is lawful, especially because they are continuing to kill our women and children in Palestine, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. When they cease doing that, we will cease as well.”

“Anyone who can revive the tradition of assassinations and is near the leaders of apostasy – those who support the war in Gaza with money, aid, and logistics, the Jewish Arabs, like the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, and all the rulers of the Arabian Peninsula – should not hesitate even for a moment. By Allah, [assassinations] are the greatest form of Jihad today,” he insisted.

Threats against global Jewry

He demanded that Arab pilots strike "the Jews," US military bases in the region, and American aircraft carriers.Beyond threats against officials in the US, Awlaki also called for terrorist attacks to assassinate the leaders of Middle Eastern countries with relations with Israel, whom he described as "Jewish Arabs," including Egypt, Jordan and some Gulf Arab states.
US President Donald Trump (R) stands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) as he prepares to depart for Hagerstown, Maryland, at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, US, June 8, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
US President Donald Trump (R) stands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) as he prepares to depart for Hagerstown, Maryland, at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, US, June 8, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
"Those in the armies [of the Arab leaders] who have faith in their hearts, and fear Allah's punishment for abandoning their brothers in Palestine, should make a move and do something now in these despicable and collaborating armies that protect the Jews and the apostate [Arab] rulers. This is especially true for the pilots,” he said. “They should strike the Jews, the American military bases in the region, and the American aircraft carriers that are looming in the sea here. At the very least, they should strike the palaces of the treacherous Arab rulers – a dog's tail is just as impure as its head.”

The US Rewards for Justice is currently offering a reward of up to $6 million for information on Awlaki. 

The terror leader also demanded that Muslims in Europe and the US ensure there is "not a single safe place" for Jews.

"Do not consult anyone about killing infidel Americans," he insisted. "There are no red lines.”