Trump says "leakers should be shot" during Arizona rally

On October 14, 2026, President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, where he called for the execution of government officials who leak classified information to the media, saying "leakers should be shot." This statement came during his second day of campaigning across western states ahead of the November midterms. At the rally, which was aimed at boosting Republican gubernatorial nominee Rep. Andy Biggs against incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, Trump accused a leaker of revealing sensitive military details about Operation Midnight Hammer, a bombing campaign targeting Iran's nuclear facilities in June 2025. He claimed that this leak forced him to reschedule the operation but ultimately proceed with it two days later from Missouri using B-2 bombers. Additionally, Trump criticized the media for what he perceives as unfavorable coverage of his administration’s actions during the ongoing conflict with Iran, now entering its eighth month. The president's rhetoric was part of a broader effort to mobilize his base ahead of the upcoming elections on November 8. His rally also included harsh criticism of Democrats and calls for Arizona voters to turn out "red" in support of Republican candidates across the board. Despite these strong statements, no major legal or policy changes were immediately announced regarding the treatment of leakers. Trump's comments reflect his longstanding conflict with the press and a growing push within his administration against what they see as damaging leaks about military operations. NBC News reported that federal investigators had recently subjected around 50 members of the U.S. Joint Staff to polygraph tests to investigate possible leaks of classified information to journalists, indicating the severity with which such issues are being addressed by Trump’s government. Despite this, no immediate changes were made to laws or policies regarding leakers following the rally.