DailyClout

Inside the Iran Plot to Kill Trump

February 27, 2026 • by Sean Probber

Federal prosecutors say two separate, Iran-linked plots to assassinate Donald Trump emerged in 2024—one centered on Asif Raza Merchant (a Pakistani national now on trial in federal court in Brooklyn) and another involving Farhad Shakeri (an Afghan national alleged to be an IRGC “asset” who remains outside U.S. reach). The cases are being described by U.S. officials as part of a broader Iranian pattern: using intermediaries and criminal networks for “murder-for-hire” style operations, often tied—at least in motive—to retaliation for the 2020 killing of IRGC Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

What makes this week different is not the existence of allegations (most of the charging documents are from 2024), but that Merchant’s case has now reached a public trial phase, with heightened security measures including a court-approved anonymous jury.

Plot #1: The Merchant case — a sting, a napkin diagram, and a trial in Brooklyn

Merchant is charged in the Eastern District of New York in what DOJ described as a foiled murder-for-hire plot targeting a U.S. politician or government official on U.S. soil. In the government’s narrative, Merchant entered the U.S., sought help contracting “hitmen,” and ultimately paid $5,000 to undercover law enforcement posing as killers.

Reporting on the trial’s opening describes prosecutors presenting evidence that Merchant discussed a rally-style shooting scenario and used objects on a napkin to walk through how the “target” would be killed—while the defense argues the government is over-reading ambiguous statements and leaning heavily on inference.

Why the anonymous jury?
The judge granted prosecutors’ request for an anonymous jury, citing the volatile backdrop of the case, the nature of the allegations, and the risk that jurors could fear retaliation in a prosecution framed around foreign-directed political violence.

Plot #2: The Shakeri case — DOJ alleges an IRGC-linked “asset” tasked with targeting Trump

In a separate case announced in November 2024, DOJ alleged that Farhad Shakeri—described by prosecutors as an IRGC asset located in Iran—was tasked by Iranian authorities with surveilling and plotting to assassinate then-President-elect Trump, while also directing other operations through a criminal network.

DOJ’s public releases present this as broader “murder-for-hire” activity aimed not only at Trump but also at other targets, including an Iranian dissident in the U.S., reflecting what U.S. officials describe as Iran’s use of cutouts to preserve deniability.

What these cases do—and do not—establish about 2024’s other Trump assassination attempts

It’s tempting (and politically explosive) to treat “Iran-linked assassination plots” as an umbrella explanation for every threat against Trump in 2024. But the public filings and mainstream reporting draw a more careful line: these DOJ cases are distinct from the later, separate assassination attempts at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally and at Trump’s Florida golf course. That distinction matters because it separates prosecuted/charged conduct from speculation that feels narratively neat.

In other words: the government is saying “these were real plots.” It is not publicly saying “these plots explain every other incident.”

Why U.S. officials keep pointing back to Soleimani

Across DOJ statements, the recurring theme is retaliation. Officials have repeatedly framed Iran-linked targeting of U.S. officials as payback for Soleimani’s killing, and as an ongoing national-security problem rather than a one-off episode.

That framing is also consistent with broader public reporting on Iran’s alleged reliance on “murder-for-hire” tactics and proxy networks—especially in periods of elevated U.S.–Iran tension.

Election interference backdrop: Iran, influence ops, and pressure points

These plots also landed inside an already-hot environment of foreign interference claims. U.S. agencies have publicly warned about foreign actors—including Iran—seeking to shape U.S. political outcomes via cyber and influence operations.

That broader context doesn’t prove an assassination case, but it does explain why prosecutors argue jurors could fear retaliation and why courts treat these prosecutions as unusually sensitive.

What to watch next in the Merchant trial

Based on what’s public so far, the trial’s center of gravity is likely to be:

  • Intent and target identification: Merchant allegedly discussed “a” politician/official; prosecutors will push that Trump was the target, while defense will argue ambiguity and overreach.

  • Reliability of the confidential source and undercover operation: Juries often scrutinize how informants were recruited, what they were promised, and whether the government “built” the case.

  • Foreign direction: how convincingly prosecutors tie Merchant’s actions to Iranian services/IRGC rather than opportunistic criminal talk.

If you want, I can also rewrite this into your DailyClout-style format (tighter hook, more punch, clearer “why it matters now,” and a stronger close), but the core reporting above stays anchored to the public record.

Sources (labeled + direct URLs)

Spread the Word

Subscribe to DailyClout so you never miss an update!

Sean Probber
Spread the Word

Leave your comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.