Federal Grand Jury Convicts Iranian Agent of Plotting to Assassinate President Trump
by the National Pulse, March 9, 2026
A federal jury has convicted Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” of murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Merchant, a trained operative of the Iranian government’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), admitted at trial that he was sent to the United States to arrange political assassinations and steal documents. Law enforcement foiled the plot before any attack could be carried out.
Merchant arrived in the United States in April 2024. By June, he had met with purported hitmen—who were actually undercover U.S. law enforcement officers in New York—and began planning assassinations and thefts. He was arrested in July 2024 before leaving the country. Merchant testified that his IRGC handler instructed him to finalize the plans and depart the U.S. before the attacks were carried out.
“This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. FBI Director Kash Patel added, “Merchant tried to hire someone to kill a politician or a U.S. government official, but the FBI and our partners stopped that deadly plot.” Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg emphasized that Merchant’s actions “struck at the heart of our democracy and our commitment to the rule of law.”
The Iranian leader who orchestrated the plot to ASSASSINATE President Trump was just KILLED by the U.S. military. pic.twitter.com/scALorzSi3
— Johnny Midnight ⚡️ (@its_The_Dr) March 5, 2026
Merchant’s plot involved recruiting individuals to commit acts of theft, stage protests, and assassinate U.S. officials, including President Trump. He met with an acquaintance in New York who reported his plans to law enforcement, becoming a confidential source. Merchant later met with undercover officers posing as hitmen, paying them $5,000 as an advance for their services. He planned to leave the U.S. on July 12, 2024, but was arrested before his departure.
