In June 2020, then-President Donald Trump publicly mocked threats from Iran against major U.S. technology corporations. The remarks came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement warning of consequences for American companies, naming Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
"They’ve threatened Microsoft, they’ve threatened Apple, they’ve threatened Google," Trump stated during a press briefing. "What are they going to threaten them with — BB guns?" His comments were widely reported by major news outlets at the time, including Reuters and The Associated Press.
The context was heightened tensions following the U.S. killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani earlier that year. The IRGC's statement had suggested these companies could face retaliation for U.S. actions, though no specific cyber or physical attacks materialized against the named firms in direct response.
This episode remains a noted moment in the recent history of U.S.-Iran relations, illustrating the intersection of geopolitical conflict, rhetoric, and the global technology sector.
