Saturday, March 29, 2025
June 11, 2025 —
Al Qaeda’s Yemen-based branch, known as AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula), has released a chilling video message naming high-profile American figures including former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on its hit list. The threat, reportedly motivated by the ongoing Gaza conflict, is being treated with concern by international security agencies, especially with the upcoming G7 summit where global leaders are set to convene.
According to media reports, the AQAP video was released by Saad bin Ataf al-Awlaki, who took over the leadership of the group in March 2024. In the video, al-Awlaki condemns the violence in Gaza and calls for revenge against those he accuses of enabling Israel’s actions. He declares, “There are no more red lines after what has happened to our people in Gaza.”
The nearly 30-minute-long video shows not only Donald Trump and Elon Musk, but also names and displays images of other prominent U.S. leaders: Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The video further calls for attacks on leaders from Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf Arab nations, accusing them of complicity or silence in the Gaza conflict.
AQAP is widely considered the most dangerous and operationally capable arm of Al Qaeda. It has a long history of plotting attacks on Western targets and remains particularly active in Yemen. The group’s latest video urges Muslims, especially those in the United States, to take revenge for the suffering in Gaza. This kind of call for “individual jihad” raises fears of lone-wolf attacks.
The U.S. government has not officially commented on the video, but sources suggest security around mentioned individuals has been tightened. The FBI and DHS are believed to be assessing the credibility of the threat.
The U.S. State Department has reaffirmed its $6 million bounty on AQAP leader Saad al-Awlaki, who is said to be following in the footsteps of his slain predecessor Anwar al-Awlaki. The original al-Awlaki was a key ideologue for Al Qaeda and was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2011.
This threat comes just days before the scheduled G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada from June 15–17, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to participate. The mention of multiple global leaders has amplified concerns over summit security, particularly as anti-Modi protests by Khalistani groups are already being planned in Canada.
AQAP’s newly released hit list naming high-profile American and Arab leaders, in retaliation for events in Gaza, reflects the group’s continued influence and its use of propaganda to incite violence. As global tensions flare, especially in the Middle East, intelligence agencies across North America and the Arab world are likely to elevate their threat levels in response. The world now watches with caution as rhetoric threatens to translate into real-world violence.
