In the wake of Donald Trump’s decision to violate U.S. and international laws prohibiting the assassination of foreign leaders, Iranian state TV has announced that it has placed an $80 million bounty on the president’s head, according to a story broken by website EN24.news.
The bounty was announced during the broadcast of the state funeral for General Qassim Suleimani and would purportedly be raised by contributions of one dollar from each of Iran’s approximately 80 million inhabitants.
“Iran has 80 million inhabitants,” the televised statement said. “Based on the Iranian population, we want to raise $80 million, which is a reward for those who get close to the head of President Trump.”
⭕️بالفيديو : المشاركون في تأبين القادة الشهداء في ايران يعلنون عن جائزة مالية قدرها ٨٠ مليون دولار ( دولار عن كل مواطن ايراني) لمن يغتال الرئيس الامريكي ترامب . pic.twitter.com/jMZBFKM5u8
— انصار الحشد الشعبي ✌️ (@blQHZFWRs5F91RV) January 5, 2020
While Trump will likely be insulted that his head is worth only a measly $80 million to the Iranians, the offer demonstrates the seriousness with which the Iranians are responding to the deliberate murder of one of their top military commanders due to the president’s orders.
Trump responded to the news with another tweet threatening Iran — and Congress — that he would launch a disproportionate reprisal if “any U.S. person or target” were to be struck.
These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any U.S. person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner. Such legal notice is not required, but is given nevertheless!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2020
Some Twitter commentators suggested that there were better ways for Iran to target Trump than offering a reward for his killing.
https://twitter.com/docholly/status/1213926829834297349?s=20
Dear Iran, there is no need for the violent and expensive bounty on trumps head.
just offer Russia $2 million to release his taxes, financial records, school transcripts, phone call logs, and the peepee tape. He’ll be off to Siberia in no time.
— Howard (@HowardA_Esq) January 5, 2020
The Secret Service will surely tighten the security around the president in the wake of the latest Iranian retaliatory threat, but the continued survival of Salman Rushdie — who had a fatwa placed upon him by then-Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 after he wrote The Satanic Verses, a novel considered blasphemous by the fundamentalist Islamic leader — proves that such threats are more effective as an instigation to paranoia than they are to result in a potential assassination.
Still, it may be wise to avoid getting close to any property owned or associated with Donald Trump for the near future to be on the safe side.
Moreover, any domestic Trump opponent considering the possibility of collecting Iran’s bounty on the president should pay attention to this relevant warning about any ill-considered remarks supporting Iran’s intentions.
With all this talk about a bounty being on trumps head I just wanna drop this video on the TL pic.twitter.com/JmZsRKQDfY
— -WUN FIF! (@WUNFIF) January 5, 2020
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by EN24.news.