Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
A Pakistani national with connections to Iran has been charged in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting former President Donald Trump and other unnamed government officials.
What’s the deal: Asif Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani national with ties to Iran, has been charged with plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. According to an unsealed complaint, Merchant planned to carry out the murder in the United States by coordinating with undercover FBI agents whom he believed to be hitmen. He allegedly outlined a plan that involved stealing documents, staging protests, and ultimately killing Trump, all while intending to manage the plot from overseas. Merchant was arrested after making a $5,000 advance payment to the undercover agents.
Digging Deeper: Prosecutors reveal that Asif Merchant planned his assassination plot through several covert meetings. After arriving in the US in April 2024, Merchant contacted a confidential source (CS), who later reported him to law enforcement. In early June, during a meeting in New York, Merchant outlined his plan, using a “finger gun” gesture to signify the intended killing and noted that it would be an ongoing operation. He instructed the CS to arrange meetings with potential hitmen.
What the FBI is saying: FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s complaint allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook. A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any US citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”
Attorney General Statement: Following the announcement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani. The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against American citizens and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America’s national security.”
Ongoing threat issue: Other former US officials, such as John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, are also being targeted by Iran due to their involvement in significant policy decisions and actions during the Trump administration, particularly regarding the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. These threats are part of Iran’s broader efforts to retaliate against US actions that have impacted their national interests and leadership.
