US Justice Department Charges Iran with Plot to Kill President-Elect Trump
The US Department of Justice charges three people tied to Iran's government with an alleged plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, dramatically raising tensions ahead of his return to power.
In November 2024, days after Donald Trump won the US presidential election, the Department of Justice announced charges against three individuals alleged members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps for plotting to assassinate Trump. The alleged plot, according to US prosecutors, was orchestrated by the Iranian government and involved payments to a hitman who turned out to be a law enforcement informant. Iran denied any involvement. The alleged assassination plot followed Iran's stated desire to avenge the 2020 killing of Soleimani. The charges dramatically inflamed the atmosphere ahead of Trump's return to office and contributed to the confrontational posture his second administration immediately adopted toward Tehran.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93United_States_relati… (opens in a new tab)
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/article/the-path-to-the-us-ira… (opens in a new tab)
- https://www.davemanuel.com/history-of-the-united-states-iran-co… (opens in a new tab)
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-us-relations-tim… (opens in a new tab)
- https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/08/us/politics/iran-assassinati… (opens in a new tab)
- https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2025/06/world/us-iran-conflict-… (opens in a new tab)