Court records, news reports

Pakistani Man with Iran Ties Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot to Assassinate Trump

Aug 6, 2024, 08:37 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Asif Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani national, with plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials. Merchant, who allegedly has ties to the Iranian government, was arrested on July 12, 2024. The plot, which was foiled by law enforcement, involved recruiting hitmen to carry out the assassinations on U.S. soil. Merchant had reportedly traveled to the U.S. from Pakistan after spending time in Iran. The FBI believes that Trump and other current and former U.S. government officials were the intended targets of the plot. The case has prompted increased security measures for the former President and other officials. Merchant was charged in Brooklyn Federal Court with murder-for-hire, and the charges were unsealed recently.