by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – The leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has issued direct threats against U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk in a newly released propaganda video, according to a report from The Associated Press.
Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki, the group’s current leader, delivered the threats during a 30-minute video address — his first since assuming leadership of AQAP following the 2024 death of Khalid al-Batarfi. The video, distributed widely by jihadist forums online on Saturday, framed the threats as retaliation for the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
“There are no red lines after what happened and is happening to our people in Gaza,” al-Awlaki declared. “Reciprocity is legitimate.”
The video included photos of President Trump, Musk, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as logos of Musk’s companies, including Tesla. Al-Awlaki also called on lone-wolf terrorists to target leaders in Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf Arab nations allied with the United States and Israel.
Al-Awlaki, who has a $6 million U.S. bounty on his head, has previously urged attacks against the West. Under his leadership, AQAP appears to be echoing the strategy of Yemen’s Houthi rebels by exploiting regional outrage over the war in Gaza to revive its weakened network.
While AQAP has been severely diminished in recent years due to infighting and sustained U.S. drone strikes, the group remains dangerous. It was responsible for the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris and has repeatedly sought to inspire or orchestrate assaults on Western targets.
U.S. intelligence agencies are monitoring the video closely. No official response has yet been issued by the Trump administration, but White House officials have previously warned of terrorist groups seeking to exploit global unrest for recruitment and propaganda purposes.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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