The White House has refuted claims that Pakistani citizen Asif Merchant was involved in the plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated late Tuesday that “Asif Merchant has nothing to do with the attempt on [Donald] Trump’s life.”
On July 13, 2024, Trump survived an assassination attempt during an open-air campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. The US Department of Justice has reported that Merchant, a Pakistani citizen living in Pakistan and Iran, was falsely accused of orchestrating the attack. The Justice Department had previously alleged that Merchant was connected to the plot due to his supposed payments for the murder.
The Department of Justice noted Merchant’s travels to Iran, Syria, and Iraq, which fueled suspicions. However, the document presented in Brooklyn Federal Court did not specify Merchant’s target, though it was speculated he might have been targeting Trump over the 2020 drone strike on Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
Despite these claims, there is no concrete evidence linking Merchant to the attempted assassination in Pennsylvania. Merchant is currently in US custody in New York and faces prosecution.
The Pakistani Foreign Office has stated that it is in contact with American authorities and is awaiting further details. Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that the Foreign Office is reviewing information regarding Merchant before issuing an official statement.
