SAEDNEWS: In a viral segment of state TV’s Operation Sadegh 2, advisor Javad Larijani warned that former US President Donald Trump “can no longer sunbathe at Mar‑a‑Lago” because “a small drone might hit him in the navel.”
According to Saed News, Mohammad‑Javad Larijani—a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader—made the startling remark on July 9, 2025, during a special broadcast of Operation Sadegh 2. “Trump has done something such that he no longer has security,” Larijani said. “As he lies there with his stomach to the sun, a little drone could strike him in the navel. It’s very simple” .
The comments come amid heightened US‑Iran tensions following Washington’s June airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Iran International first reported Larijani’s threat, noting his warning underscores Tehran’s willingness to retaliate asymmetrically.
US reactions were swift. At a White House press briefing, President Trump’s press secretary relayed a reporter’s question—“Do you think it’s a real threat? And when did you last sunbathe?”—to which Trump quipped, “It’s been a long time. Maybe when I was seven. I’m not too big into it… I’m not sure it’s a threat, but perhaps it is” .
Security agencies in Florida have since reviewed Mar‑a‑Lago’s defences, though officials downplayed any change to the former president’s routine. Nevertheless, Larijani’s public invocation of drone strikes on American soil marked a rhetorical escalation.
Analysts point out that threats against heads of state—especially carried live on television—constitute a breach of international norms and may trigger counterterrorism measures by the US Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. This episode joins a string of past Iranian plots, including an intercepted IRGC‑linked assassination attempt in 2020.
As both sides exchange rhetoric and covert warnings, the incident highlights the evolving nature of US‑Iran hostilities—where unmanned aerial vehicles and media soundbites play as prominent a role as missiles and diplomatic cables.
