‘I had to do this’: Suspect in assassination attempt scheme claims Iranians forced him to participate

A suspect in a criminal case that alleges an assassination scheme against President Donald Trump and other federal officials is claiming that his family was “under threat” and he was forced to participate in attempts to recruit hitmen.

“My family was under threat, and I had to do this. I was not wanting to do this so willingly,” claimed Asif Merchant, 47, a Pakistani businessman charged in a case alleging a 2024 assassination plot against possible targets Trump, Joe Biden and Nikki Haley.

A report from Fox News explains Merchant was indicted in 2024 after being recorded outlining a plot to kill an unnamed political. That discussion was with a man who turned out to be an informant.

Merchant, the report said, also is accused of trying to hire two hitmen and pay them $5,000, but the hitmen were FBI agents.

He was trying to leave the country when he was arrested, and authorities at the time said it looked like he was acting “at the behest of Iran,” the report said.

The suspect said the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was the source of the threats.

Iran’s government, before it literally was blown to bits in President Trump’s strategic strikes on its leadership and military sites over the last week, claimed it had no plot to kill him or other U.S. officials.

Merchant testified his “handler” told him to recruit those willing to work for Iran, then escalated the demands to finding someone to organize protests, launder money, steal and “maybe have somebody murdered.”

The handler, Merchant claimed, identified Trump, Biden and Haley.

Prosecutors undermined his claims by explaining he was continuing “the alleged plot” even when he was arrested, and he had researched Trump’s rally locations, drafted plans for a shooting, and more.

They also noted Merchant never contacted law enforcement before his arrest and failed during FBI interviews to mention details supporting a claim that he acted under duress.