A Pakistani national has been convicted in the United States for planning to murder President Donald Trump and other senior American political leaders as part of a revenge plan linked to the killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
Pakistani national Asif Merchant convicted in a US court on terrorism and murder-for-hire charges in connection with an alleged Iranian-backed plot to kill American politicians, including Trump. Docs show he apparently received training in Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/0Ra2o1IqED
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 7, 2026
According to the United States Department of Justice, the man, identified as Asif Merchant, has been found guilty of various offences, including murder for hire and planning to carry out a terrorist attack across national borders. Prosecutors said the plan was directed by Iranian authorities and aimed at several high-profile American leaders.
The Officials said that the plot was being prepared in 2024 and targeted several senior American political leaders, including Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, and Republican leader Nikki Haley, who had challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Investigators said he tried to recruit people within the United States to carry out the killings. But the plan never moved forward because a person he approached in April 2024 informed the authorities and later worked as a confidential informant. In the same year, he was arrested and pleaded not guilty.
During his trial in Brooklyn, New York City, he confessed that he had connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps based in Iran.
He stated that he was forced to participate in the discussions unwillingly and claimed he feared for the safety of his family, who are living in Tehran. He also said he was not given direct orders to kill a particular person, though three possible targets were mentioned during conversations.
Iran has denied claims that it planned attacks on Trump and other American officials. The case comes at a time when tensions are high within the region following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran that have caused heavy casualties and widened the conflict across the Middle East region.
