U.S. Federal Prosecutors Charge Iranian Operative in Plot to Assassinate Donald Trump

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged an Iranian operative, Farhad Shakeri, in connection with a directed plot to surveil and assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. According to a criminal complaint unsealed on November 8, 2024, in the Southern District of New York, Shakeri was tasked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to orchestrate the killing of the former president in the weeks leading up to the 2024 election.

Details of the IRGC Assassination Directive

Federal investigators allege that Shakeri, an Afghan national residing in Tehran, served as an asset for the IRGC. According to the Department of Justice, Shakeri told law enforcement that he was ordered on October 7, 2024, to provide a plan to kill Trump within seven days. When Shakeri informed his IRGC handlers that such an operation would be costly and time-consuming, the handlers reportedly indicated that the regime was willing to commit significant resources to the task, even if it required waiting until after the election, under the assumption that Trump would lose and become easier to target.

The complaint outlines a broader pattern of state-sponsored intimidation. Shakeri remains at large, believed to be in Iran. Two other individuals, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt, were arrested in New York on charges of assisting the IRGC in tracking a separate target—an Iranian-American journalist—at the direction of Shakeri.

Legal Charges and Implications

Shakeri, Rivera, and Loadholt face multiple felony counts, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and money laundering. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Justice Department will continue to hold the Iranian regime accountable for targeting U.S. citizens and public officials.

This case follows a string of recent federal indictments involving foreign influence and violence. In August 2024, the Justice Department charged a Pakistani national, Asif Merchant, with plotting a murder-for-hire scheme against U.S. government officials, which authorities linked to a broader effort by Iranian entities to retaliate for the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani.

Current Security Context

The FBI has confirmed that the threat environment remains elevated. Federal authorities have previously alerted the Trump campaign regarding Iranian intelligence efforts to disrupt the electoral process through cyber operations and physical threats. The current charges highlight the intersection of international statecraft and domestic criminal law, as U.S. agencies work to disrupt transnational assassination attempts.

Key Facts

• Primary Defendant: Farhad Shakeri, an IRGC asset currently at large.
• Co-conspirators: Carlisle Rivera and Jonathon Loadholt, both U.S. citizens, are in custody.
• Targeting: The plot specifically focused on the surveillance and neutralization of Donald Trump.
• Legal Basis: Charges include murder-for-hire and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

The investigation is ongoing, led by the FBI’s New York Field Office. The Department of Justice maintains that the disruption of this plot reflects the government’s commitment to protecting individuals from state-sponsored violence, regardless of their political affiliation or status.