The US Justice Department on Friday announced that they will be pursuing criminal charges against 3 individuals after an assassination plot against President-elect Donald Trump. Farhad Shekeri, an Iranian citizen and alleged IRGC asset, allegedly recruited Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt in prison to assist with an assassination plot after receiving orders from the IRGC.

The Plot

According to prosecutors, Shakeri was contacted by the IRGC in September and told to conduct surveillance on Trump to prepare for an assassination. The next month, he was allegedly given a deadline of 7 days to come up with a detailed plan to kill the former President. Notably, he told law enforcement that he did not intend to follow this deadline.

While the reported plans to target President-elect Donald Trump were the primary focus of the IRGC-orchestrated assassination plot, federal prosecutors revealed an even wider scope to the conspiracy. Court documents show the plotters also sought to eliminate several prominent critics of the Iranian regime, including an Iranian-American activist and two Jewish-American citizens residing in New York City. Additionally, there were intentions to target Israeli tourists vacationing in Sri Lanka.

Farhad Shakeri, the alleged mastermind, was purportedly offered a staggering $500,000 by his IRGC handler for the successful assassination of either the Iranian-American activist or the two Jewish-American individuals. This lucrative financial incentive underscores the IRGC's determination to silence those who have been outspoken in their opposition to the Iranian government, even on American soil.

The surveillance activities carried out by Shakeri's co-conspirators, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, focused on at least one critic of the Iranian regime living in Brooklyn prior to their arrests. This indicates the plotters were actively gathering intelligence and preparing to execute attacks against multiple targets beyond just the President-elect.

A Sign of the Times

This purported murder plot is the most recent development in the increased enmity and tensions between the US and Iran since the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iran's top general, Qassem Soleimani. Iran's propensity to use violent and illegal methods to exact revenge on its perceived opponents is demonstrated by the IRGC's involvement in multiple additional murder-for-hire plots that target American officials and dissidents abroad.

Foreign enemies like Iran are taking advantage of the perilous climate that the United States' political landscape has produced. An assassination attempt against a current or prospective president serves as a terrifying reminder of the external threats America is facing.

Attorney General Merrick Garland's swift condemnation of Iran's actions and the FBI's successful disruption of the plot before it could be carried out are steps in the right direction. The simple fact that such a plot existed, however, is proof that politics are as dangerous as they've ever been.

Moving Forward

Following Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election, the next administration is probably going to take a more aggressive stance toward Iran. A comprehensive examination of the Secret Service's security procedures will surely follow the failed assassination attempt, and the next government may place a higher priority on enhancing intelligence collection activities to detect and foil any future plans with ties to Iran.

However, the growing hostilities between the United States and Iran may encourage the Iranian regime to take more extreme measures, such as more assassination attempts or other types of retaliation. This adds one more layer of nuance to the already complicated world of foreign policy.

Political leaders and the general public must maintain vigilance, respect the rule of law, and endeavor to bring civility and safety back to politics. The United States cannot effectively fight external threats as long as such significant dangers exist at home.