Senators Demand Answers from FBI and DHS Over Alleged Assassination Plot

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pressing FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for clarity regarding an alleged assassination plot involving an Iranian agent. The Department of Justice recently charged Pakistani national Asif Merchant with orchestrating a murder-for-hire scheme targeting a U.S. official, potentially including former President Donald Trump. Wray described the plot as "straight out of the Iranian playbook," highlighting the seriousness of the allegations. In a joint letter, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee leaders, including Chairman Gary Peters and Ranking Member Rand Paul, expressed concern over the timeline of Merchant's activities. Court documents reveal that Merchant had been planning the assassination since at least April 2024, traveling from Pakistan to the U.S. to recruit accomplices. The senators noted that the FBI had been monitoring Merchant prior to his entry into the country, raising questions about the decision to allow him in without immediate arrest. The lawmakers are seeking detailed information on the FBI's knowledge of Merchant and whether this information was communicated to the Secret Service. They specifically inquired about the FBI's justification for permitting Merchant's entry through the Special Immigrant Visa program, which allows temporary access for non-citizens. Additionally, they are awaiting responses to previous requests for documents related to threats investigated ahead of a July 2024 rally where Trump survived an assassination attempt. The senators are particularly interested in any connections between Merchant's plot and the July 13, 2024, incident, which resulted in injuries to Trump and others. As of now, DHS has not commented on the matter.