MAGA-aligned U.S. Representative Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ), the first Arab American elected to Congress from Arizona, used time at the Pentagon budget hearing this week with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to inquire about U.S. military aircraft being used in Iran.
Hamadeh said: “We have air superiority in Iran, and it seems like there’s no Internet connectivity in Iran, are we doing any leaflet drops over there?”
[NOTE: The internet has been largely unavailable to Iranian citizens for nearly two months, since the start of U.S. attacks on Iran on February 28. See graphic below.]
The #Iran internet blackout has entered its 62nd consecutive day after 1464 hours, with the general public broadly cut off from the world.
Beyond human rights and economic impacts, the measure severely hinders schooling and higher education by decimating access to knowledge. pic.twitter.com/NKlLoDIESS
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) April 30, 2026
Hegseth replied: “We’ve explored a variety of actions, many of which are classified, that could restore additional communications capabilities to the Iranians.”
Hamadeh replied: “I would love for President Trump’s Truth Social posts to be leafletted all over Iran, to be honest with you.” He added, “I think that would encourage them to take to the streets.”
Rep. Hamadeh suggests using military aircraft to drop leaflets of President Trump’s Truth Social posts all over Iran
“I think that would encourage them to take to the streets” pic.twitter.com/ahgv5UagBu
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 29, 2026
Hamadeh added: “The people on the ground need to know they have our full support to stand up to the regime, and they need to hear it directly from our Commander-in-Chief.”
Critics of the Trump administration are responding with some of the President’s posts, including one that threatened the Iranian people, saying, in part, that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran did not agree to a ceasefire.
Do they think this will get the people on their side? pic.twitter.com/QKhf5IjgmC
— Cel. Mostarda (@gfcardoso25) April 30, 2026
Hamadeh appeared to be suggesting that the Iranians, ostensibly without access to U.S. messaging, would want to see what Trump said when he launched the attacks — when Iranian “regime change” was still mentioned as part of the Trump administration’s aims.
“The hour of your freedom is at hand,” Trump declared when the bombing campaign started. “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations.” Trump also said: “America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach.”