A Pakistani national facing terrorism charges for allegedly plotting to kill President Trump on behalf of Iran has told federal agents that Tehran may have orchestrated the Butler, Pennsylvania assassination attempt.
Asif Merchant, 47, was arrested on July 12, 2024—one day before the July 13 shooting at Trump’s rally. During FBI interviews, Merchant expressed suspicion that Iran was involved in the Butler incident.
FBI Special Agent Jacqueline Smith testified that Merchant said, “He said that he thought that Iran was responsible for that because that’s the same thing he was sent here to do.”
?? BREAKING: Paksatani National, Asif Merchant, who was ordered by the Iranian Regime to assassinate President Trump, says Iran might be behind the Butler, PA attempt on Trump's life.
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) March 6, 2026
"Merchant was arrested ONE DAY before Trump was SHOT IN BUTLER, Pennsylvania."
"Merchant… pic.twitter.com/4Tco1TFD2T
Merchant is on trial in Brooklyn federal court, facing charges of terrorism and murder-for-hire. Prosecutors allege he worked with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to recruit hitmen targeting U.S. politicians, including Trump, Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley.
Testifying in his defense, Merchant claimed Iranian officials coerced him by threatening his family in Tehran. “My family was under threat, and I had to do this,” he said through an interpreter.
Prosecutors reject the coercion claim, pointing to Merchant’s actions like handing $5,000 to undercover FBI agents posing as hitmen.
The case unfolded amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, with Merchant’s plot revealed shortly after his arrest. His suspicions about Butler add fuel to questions surrounding the July 13 attack by Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks, a 20-year-old gunman, fired multiple shots from a rooftop 150 yards away, grazing Trump’s ear and killing a rally attendee. Despite warnings, security lapses allowed Crooks to access the roof with a ladder and rifle.
Witnesses spotted Crooks up to 30 minutes before the shooting, yet no immediate action was taken. The Secret Service later claimed the sloped roof posed a safety risk, preventing agents from posting there.
Former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino cited sources saying a sniper was supposed to be on that roof but “didn’t show up,” dismissing official excuses as “nonsense.”
These inconsistencies echo broader concerns about foreign involvement in threats against Trump.
As we previously reported, security was supposed to be ramped up at the Trump rally due to a the Iranian assassination plot, yet appeared woefully inadequate.
Trump himself has accused the FBI of withholding information suggesting foreign backing for the attempts, claiming the Bureau is “sitting on” key details.
Additional oddities include Crooks’ encrypted messaging accounts in foreign countries, as revealed by investigators, raising suspicions of international ties.
His body was cremated just 10 days after the shooting, limiting further forensic analysis. Megyn Kelly recently highlighted this and other red flags, stating the FBI’s handling “stinks” and points to a potential cover-up.
Trump has also detailed further assassination attempts, including claims that his plane was targeted by kill teams with surface-to-air missiles.
During strikes on Iran, the U.S. military has killed the Iranian official who led the unit behind the assassination plot against Trump.
U.S. kills Iranian leader of Trump assassination plot, Pentagon says https://t.co/MjYBS0cV5r
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) March 4, 2026
The operation took place on Tuesday, targeting an unnamed Iranian leader tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the strike, stating, “The leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed. Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh.”
Hegseth added, “While that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination – in fact, never raised by the President or anybody else – I ensured, and others ensured, that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list.”
Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in targeting Trump or other U.S. officials.
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