Iranian Man Charged in Plot to Kill Trump; Judge Grants Special Counsel's Request to Pause Trump's 2020 Case
Shahram Poursafi, an Iranian national, was arrested in October 2022 and charged with plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
Poursafi was allegedly hired by an Iranian intelligence official to carry out the plot, which involved traveling to the United States and assassinating Trump before the 2020 presidential election.
According to court documents, Poursafi obtained a visa to enter the United States in September 2022 and began planning the assassination.
He allegedly purchased a gun and conducted surveillance on Trump's properties in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Poursafi was arrested on October 1, 2022, before he could carry out the assassination.
In a related development, a federal judge has granted Special Counsel Jack Smith's request to pause the criminal investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents while he investigates the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Smith argued that pausing the classified documents investigation would allow him to focus on the more urgent January 6 investigation and avoid potential conflicts of interest.
The judge agreed, noting that the January 6 investigation is of "paramount importance" and that pausing the classified documents investigation would not prejudice Trump's rights.
