The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges today in an alleged Iranian-backed assassination plot targeting President-elect Donald Trump. The DOJ unsealed the charges against Farhad Shakeri, an Afghan national with alleged ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who reportedly orchestrated the plan on behalf of an Iranian official. The plot, aimed at surveilling and ultimately killing Trump, has intensified national security concerns as U.S. officials continue to investigate foreign influence on American soil.
Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the alleged plot as a severe threat to U.S. security, highlighting Iran’s continued efforts to target American officials. “There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran,” Garland stated, adding that U.S. authorities remain resolute in holding those accountable for attempts to harm American citizens.
According to court filings, Shakeri reportedly received orders from an IRGC contact in September to develop a plan within seven days to surveil and assassinate Trump. The plot was allegedly devised as retaliation for the U.S. killing of Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian commander, in a 2020 airstrike. Shakeri informed authorities that he met with an IRGC official, who emphasized the mission’s urgency, reportedly indicating that if the plan could not be completed before the election, the effort would resume afterward.
Shakeri’s task reportedly included recruiting two associates, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, both U.S.-based individuals he met during an earlier prison sentence. Rivera and Loadholt, now also facing federal charges, were allegedly recruited for their roles in planned attacks on additional targets, including high-profile Iranian American activists.
Investigators revealed that Shakeri was instructed to target other figures beyond Trump, including two Jewish Americans in New York, a prominent Iranian American journalist, and U.S. and Israeli citizens abroad. The complaint alleges that Shakeri was offered a substantial financial reward, estimated at $500,000, for successfully carrying out these assassinations. Although the journalist is not named in the complaint, the description matches Masih Alinejad, a well-known Iranian American activist previously targeted by Iranian operatives.
The DOJ’s disclosure comes amid heightened tensions with Iran, underscoring ongoing threats from foreign actors targeting Americans. The alleged plot follows a series of hacking campaigns and assassination attempts believed to be linked to the IRGC, increasing scrutiny on Iranian influence. National security experts have cited the sophistication of the recent threats as a cause for concern, with several Iranian-linked plots emerging in recent months.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized that the government would persist in safeguarding American citizens from foreign threats. “Today’s charges are another message to those who continue in their efforts — we will remain unrelenting in our pursuit of bad actors, no matter where they reside, and will stop at nothing to bring to justice those who harm our safety and security.”
Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in plots against U.S. officials, claiming these allegations are politically motivated. The Iranian government recently criticized the U.S. for what it describes as a hostile stance that could hinder diplomatic progress. Meanwhile, security precautions have been reinforced for prominent U.S. figures, including the implementation of strict communication protocols among government officials to mitigate espionage risks.
