Pakistani Man on Trial in US for Alleged Plot to Assassinate Political Figures Including Trump

Asif Merchant, a 47-year-old Pakistani man with alleged ties to Iran, is on trial in New York for attempting to orchestrate the assassination of U.S. political figures, including former President Donald Trump, ahead of the 2024 election. Prosecutors presented evidence of meetings with undercover FBI agents posing as hitmen and a $5,000 payment. Merchant has pleaded not guilty, and his defense denies concrete evidence of a plot, describing him as a religious businessman with lawful ties to Pakistan and Iran.