U.S. political commentator Jackson Hinkle was filmed chanting "Down with the USA" during the funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei [1].
The incident highlights the presence of Western influencers within Iranian state-sanctioned events and the public projection of anti-U.S. sentiment by U.S. citizens on foreign soil.
Hinkle attended the funeral ceremonies in Tehran, which took place from July 3 to July 9, 2026 [2]. On July 5, 2026, video footage captured Hinkle leading or participating in a chant against the United States [3]. While some reports state he chanted "Down with the USA" [1], other sources report the phrase used was "Down with USA and Zionists" [4].
Iranian authorities permitted Hinkle to attend the event as one of a small number of U.S. content creators granted access to the funeral site [5]. Hinkle, who describes himself as a "MAGA communist," used the platform to voice a political protest against the U.S. government and Zionism [5].
Reports differ on whether Hinkle was merely chanting along with the crowd or leading the group in the slogans [3]. The footage was widely circulated via social media and news outlets, including Al Jazeera English and Yahoo [1, 3].
The event occurred amidst a broader series of mourning rituals for the Supreme Leader in the Iranian capital. Hinkle's participation marks a rare instance of a U.S. national leading anti-American chants at a high-profile state event in Tehran [1, 4].
“"Down with the USA"”
The incident underscores the use of Western-born influencers by state media in adversarial nations to validate their narratives. By permitting a U.S. citizen to lead anti-American chants, the Iranian government demonstrates that internal political divisions within the United States can be leveraged for international propaganda purposes.
