Former President Trump has been briefed by intelligence officials about alleged assassination threats from Iran, the Republican presidential candidate's campaign said Tuesday.
“President Trump was briefed today by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. [ODNI] “Iran has made real and specific threats to assassinate Mr. Trump in an attempt to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States,” Steven Thune, former Trump campaign communications director, said in a statement.
“Intelligence officials have observed that these sustained and coordinated attacks have escalated over the past few months, and law enforcement officials across all agencies are working to ensure that President Trump is protected and that the election is not disrupted,” Chang added.
In early August, a Pakistani man with alleged ties to the Iranian government was indicted in the United States on charges of plotting a political assassination.
Asif Merchant was charged with murder for hire. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the thwarted plot was retaliation for the US killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Merchant, a former US president, was the top commander at the time of Soleimani's assassination.
The campaign's statement came less than a week after the FBI and other intelligence agencies said the Iranian government had attempted to provide information hacked from the former president's campaign to then-President Biden's campaign.
A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Ryan Routh, 58, on charges of attempting to assassinate the former president. He now faces five charges. Routh had previously been indicted on two federal firearms charges. The first assassination attempt against Trump came in July at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman pierced Trump's ear. The gunman killed one attendee and wounded two others.
A report released by Microsoft in early August said Iran is trying to disrupt the 2024 White House elections using cyberattacks and fake news.
“Without a doubt, the Iranian terrorist regime [Vice President] “I admire Kamala Harris and I fear for President Trump's strength and determination. He will be unstoppable and undeterred in his efforts to fight for the American people and Make America Great Again,” Chan said.
An ODNI spokesperson confirmed the report to The Hill but declined to comment on specifics.
