Pakistani Man Convicted In Iran-Linked Plot To Kill Trump
Convicted for murder-for-hire and terrorism charges after paying $5,000 to undercover operatives; Merchant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
One America News NetworkPakistani man convicted of plot to kill Trump, other U.S. officials in Iran-backed scheme
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CBS NewsMan convicted in plot to assassinate Trump that was tied to Iran's paramilitary
ABC NewsMan convicted in political assassination plot he tied to Iranian paramilitary
Daily CallerIranian Agent Who Tried To Assassinate Trump Found Guilty
Overview
On March 7, 2026, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Asif Merchant of murder-for-hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, prosecutors said.
Merchant testified he was sent by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and received countersurveillance training in late 2022 or early 2023 before returning to the United States in April 2024.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Merchant landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump but was met with 'the might of American law enforcement,' and FBI Director Kash Patel said agents stopped the plot.
Merchant paid a $5,000 advance to what he believed were hit men, was arrested on July 12, 2024 as he packed to leave the United States, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Sentencing is pending and Merchant could receive life in prison, and prosecutors said the conviction serves as a reminder of ongoing Iran-linked threats to the United States.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the case as evidence of an Iran-linked threat by foregrounding law-enforcement claims and using evaluative language. Editors emphasize prosecution and the attorney general’s statement, highlight "remarkable testimony," and give Iran’s denial minimal weight, while defense assertions are presented but downplayed, producing a security-focused narrative.
FAQ
Asif Merchant is a 47-year-old Pakistani businessman who claimed he was forced by Iran's IRGC into the plot due to threats against his family in Tehran. He received countersurveillance training in late 2022 or early 2023 and entered the US in April 2024.
Merchant was convicted of murder-for-hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, with sentencing pending.
The plot targeted Donald Trump primarily, with Joe Biden and Nikki Haley also listed as potential targets by prosecutors and Merchant's testimony.
A man Merchant contacted alerted law enforcement and became an informant. Merchant paid $5,000 to undercover FBI agents he believed were hit men and was arrested on July 12, 2024, in Texas as he prepared to leave the US.
Prosecutors stated Merchant was sent by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in retaliation for the US killing of Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Iran has denied the accusations.
