U.S. Officials Announce Elimination of Iranian Figure Linked to Alleged Assassination Plot Against Trump

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has stated that American forces killed an Iranian operative allegedly connected to a past plot targeting Donald J. Trump.

Speaking during a Pentagon press briefing on March 4, Hegseth said the individual was located and killed as part of the ongoing U.S.–Israeli military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury.

He described the target as a figure who had led a unit previously linked by U.S. authorities to an alleged assassination plan involving Trump.

Hegseth framed the development in personal terms, saying Iran had attempted to target Trump in the past but that the United States ultimately held those responsible accountable.

However, he also acknowledged that neutralizing individuals connected to the alleged plot was not the primary objective of the broader campaign. Instead, the individual was included among a wider list of military and intelligence targets once the opportunity for a strike emerged.

U.S. officials have previously linked alleged assassination threats against Trump to charges unsealed in 2024 by the United States Department of Justice, which accused an Iranian national of participating in a murder-for-hire conspiracy during the U.S. presidential campaign. Iranian authorities have denied that their government authorized or directed any such plot.

During the briefing, Hegseth also argued that military operations against Iran were progressing in the United States’ favor, citing strikes against Iranian military infrastructure and strategic assets. The announcement comes as hostilities between Iran and a U.S.–Israeli coalition continue to escalate, drawing growing international concern over the risk of a wider regional conflict.