A Pakistani man was found guilty on Friday of orchestrating a chilling plot to assassinate President Donald Trump and other prominent U.S. political figures. The Department of Justice announced that Asif Merchant was acting at the behest of Iran, with the scheme unfolding two years ago.
Per Reuters, Merchant was convicted on charges of “murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries,” a plot directly linked to Iranian authorities. Federal prosecutors detailed that the targets for this 2024 plot included Trump, then-President Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination that year.
This whole plan was reportedly a retaliation for the Trump-ordered killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Luckily, law enforcement stopped the operation before any attack took place, thanks to a person Merchant had contacted for aid in 2024. Instead of helping, he reported his activities to authorities and became a confidential informant. Merchant was subsequently arrested that same year and initially pleaded not guilty.
The problem with any plan, good or evil, is the people involved
The trial, held in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, kicked off just days before Trump ordered a joint assault with Israel on Iran. This recent military action has unfortunately escalated into the region’s largest war in years, adding a tense backdrop to Merchant’s conviction.
During his testimony, Merchant admitted to joining the plot, which involved Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. He claimed, however, that his involvement was unwilling, stating he only participated to protect his family, who reside in Tehran. Merchant also testified that he was never given an explicit order to kill a specific person. His Iranian handler merely named Trump, Biden, and Haley during conversations in the Iranian capital.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps holds a significant role in Iran, wielding considerable military and economic power alongside an extensive intelligence network. Despite the conviction, Tehran has consistently denied any accusations that it targeted Trump or any other U.S. officials.
The broader conflict has seen a tragic rise in casualties. Since Saturday, U.S. and Israeli attacks have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Iranian leaders and at least 1,332 Iranian civilians, including hundreds of school girls. On the other side, the U.S. military has reported that six of its service members died in a strike on a facility in Kuwait, and Israeli tallies indicate at least 10 civilians have been killed across Israel.
Published: Mar 8, 2026 01:04 pm