The U.S. Justice Department has announced charges in a high-level plot allegedly orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The plan was revealed in newly unsealed court documents and has sparked strong reactions in Washington and beyond.
Details of the Alleged Plot
According to federal prosecutors, the IRGC recruited Farhad Shakeri, an Afghan national, to lead surveillance and plan an assassination attempt on Trump. Shakeri allegedly enlisted two American associates — Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt — who have been charged with providing material support and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.
Investigators say the operatives debated whether to carry out the plot before or after the 2024 presidential election, depending on Trump’s security detail and public exposure. Intelligence reports indicate they believed Trump would be more vulnerable if he lost the election.
The Justice Department unsealed the indictment on November 9, 2024, following months of surveillance and undercover work that disrupted the plot before it advanced beyond the planning stages.
Security Response and Warnings
U.S. intelligence agencies first warned Trump’s security team about the threat in mid-2024, prompting the Secret Service to increase protective measures at campaign events. Senior officials have described the plot as one of the most serious direct threats against a former U.S. president in recent decades.
In public remarks earlier this year, Trump said he had told advisers that if the attempt had succeeded, he would have ordered a massive retaliatory strike on Iran, saying he would “obliterate” the country in response.
The Justice Department emphasized that the case remains ongoing, with additional investigations into potential IRGC networks in the U.S. and abroad. The three accused men face charges that could lead to life sentences if convicted.
Iran’s Denial and International Reaction
The Iranian government has denied any involvement in the alleged plot, dismissing the U.S. charges as “politically motivated fabrications.” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian called the allegations an attempt to justify further sanctions and increase regional tensions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed in, calling Trump “enemy number one” for Iran and asserting that the regime in Tehran continues to target Western leaders as part of its global strategy.
Broader Context
The alleged plot follows years of strained relations between Washington and Tehran, including the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani. Since then, U.S. intelligence officials have warned repeatedly about Iran’s efforts to retaliate against current and former American officials.
In recent years, Iranian operatives have also been linked to assassination plots against former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad.
