Donald Trump is once again in the spotlight with yet another controversial and allegedly false claim about the Iranian government.
The 79-year-old president faced criticism for claiming he helped save eight Iranian women from execution. Critics slammed the administration as a “never-ending skit” after he was accused of using an AI-generated picture to justify his words.
The topic resurfaced after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on The Story with Martha MacCallum, where she discussed Trump’s decision to extend a ceasefire with Iran amidst the ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is a key route for roughly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade.
According to The Irish Star, during the segment, host Martha MacCallum referenced Trump’s claim that he had personally intervened to stop the execution of eight women who were reportedly sentenced to death for protesting in January, which resulted in a violent crackdown.
TODAY AT 3pm ET: White House @PressSec Karoline Leavitt on President Trump’s short-term ceasefire extension and new provocations from Iran in Strait of Hormuz pic.twitter.com/Y2sIbBd79g
— Martha MacCallum (@marthamaccallum) April 22, 2026
Leavitt supported Donald Trump’s claims, saying he received direct confirmation from Iranian authorities that the women’s lives would be spared.
“Only President Trump could save the lives of these eight beautiful Iranian women,” Leavitt said, boasting about the administration’s credibility. “Thanks to President Trump, because he is a humanitarian at heart,” the 28-year-old added.
According to Fox News, Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Iran would no longer execute women charged with anti-regime protests. He had requested their release a day earlier.
“The Iranian leaders, who will soon be in negotiations with my representatives, I would greatly appreciate the release of these women,” he wrote as he responded to an activist’s post on X, in which eight unidentified women were shown in the post.
“Please do them no harm! Would be a great start to our negotiations!!!” Trump added.
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“Very good news! I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed,” Donald Trump later confirmed that his request was reportedly accepted in a post on Truth Social.
According to the outlet, four women would be released immediately, and the other four would serve a brief one-month prison sentence. However, Donald Trump’s words were mocked after the claims were quickly dismissed.
According to Middle East-focused outlet New Arab, Iran’s judiciary stated that the reports of the women awaiting execution were false.
In an official statement, the government called out Donald Trump’s update and said, “Trump was misled once again by fake news,” mentioned the judiciary’s official Mizan Online website.
“The women who were claimed to be on the verge of execution, some of them have been released, while others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment,” it added.
Furthermore, an Iranian-American journalist named Masih Alinejad released the names of the victims on X. She urged global attention on the detainees, saying, “Say their names,” and alleging that one of those held was a minor.
One of the identified women, Bita Hemmati, was sentenced to death alongside three men, including her husband, after being accused of throwing concrete blocks from a residential building onto security forces in Tehran.
Several online users accused Donald Trump of lying and questioned Karoline Leavitt for misleading the public during her recent live appearance. One user wrote, “This is just a blatant lie. Are there no consequences anymore? The Republican Party should be permanently banned after this.”
Iran is one of the countries that allows capital punishment in its most heinous form. UN rights activists have raised concerns about violations in the last few years. Several others have also slammed the Islamic Republic for using the death penalty to create fear and panic amidst the volatile U.S- Israel war on Iran.
