A Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran shared photos online depicting President Donald Trump's death, federal prosecutors said Tuesday, describing the posts as part of a broader plot to kill U.S. politicians, potentially including the president.
Authorities said Asif Merchant plotted with Iran to kill U.S. politicians in 2024, illustrating Iran's threats against the United States that stretched back years before Trump launched strikes against the country beginning Saturday.
An FBI special agent showed a courtroom in Brooklyn, New York, the images posted by Merchant, who is standing trial this week on charges of attempting to commit an act of terrorism and engaging in a murder-for-hire plot.
Merchant was indicted in July 2024 after he was recorded on camera outlining a plot on a napkin to kill an unnamed politician with a person who turned out to be an informant. Merchant allegedly also tried to hire two hit men and pay them $5,000, but the men were FBI agents posing as assassins.
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The indictment does not name Trump, but a law enforcement source confirmed to Fox News that he was floated as a target, and defense lawyers named Trump as the target in court documents.
Merchant's trial comes against the backdrop of Trump launching a major combat operation in coordination with Israel against Iran. Trump did not seek congressional authorization to carry out the offensive on Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, which has set off condemnation from Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans, that he launched an "illegal" war.
Conservative legal experts have argued Trump is operating within his bounds under Article II, which allows the commander in chief to direct military operations and act to protect U.S. forces and interests in time-sensitive situations.
Merchant was arrested as he was attempting to leave the country, before he could take any concrete steps to carry out a murder plan. Authorities, at the time, said he appeared to be acting at the behest of Iran.
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"This dangerous murder-for-hire plot was allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian regime's playbook," then-FBI Director Christopher Wray said.
Merchant's lawyers argued in their opening statement last week that their client, who has two wives, cared about his faith and his families, that he was innocent and that politicians lie.
Federal prosecutors said in court Tuesday that in addition to images of Trump, Merchant also posted images of former President Joe Biden online. Some of the images dated back to 2020, when Trump was president and Biden was a presidential contender.
The images included Trump digging his own grave next to a headstone with his name on it and an image of a decapitated head belonging to Trump with the words "coming soon." A comment under the photo said "Allah willing." Another image was a wanted poster for Trump, shared on June 30, 2020, that said, "Iran issues an arrest warrant for Trump."
Merchant's trial remains ongoing. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Fox News' Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
