President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that if Iran were to carry out an assassination attempt on him, his advisers would ensure the country is “obliterated.”
While signing an executive order to impose maximum pressure on Tehran, the president revealed that he had left specific instructions in the event something were to happen to him and leaders of the Islamic Republic were responsible.
“That would be a terrible thing for them to do,” Trump said. “If they did that, they would be obliterated. That would be the end. … There won’t be anything left.” The president added that former President Joe Biden “should have said that” but did not due to a “lack of intelligence.”
The Justice Department confirmed in November that it had thwarted an Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump in the weeks leading up to the presidential election.
A criminal complaint filed in September revealed that an official from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps had instructed Farhad Shakeri, 51, of Iran, to “focus on surveilling, and ultimately, assassinating” Trump.
Shakeri, who immigrated to the United States as a child, was deported about 17 years ago after serving 14 years in prison for a robbery conviction, according to the DOJ. On October 7, 2024, he was allegedly given a plan to kill Trump, according to authorities, Fox News reported.
Shakeri is reportedly living in Iran and has yet to be apprehended by U.S. authorities.
“I’m signing this, and it’s a very powerful document, but hopefully we’re not going to have to use it,” Trump said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, eight people have been taken into custody by federal authorities concerning a massive smuggling operation that allegedly used the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to bring illegal and counterfeit goods into the United States from China.
It is estimated that the scheme, which involved dishonest truck drivers, warehouse owners, and logistics firms, smuggled at least $200 million worth of counterfeit and/or “dangerous” goods, Fox Los Angeles reported.
The lead orchestrator, another defendant, is still at large and is believed to be in China. The defendants are accused of breaking customs seals, smuggling, and conspiracy, among other offenses, reports said.
The defendants allegedly used logistics firms to help smuggle counterfeit goods into the United States by working with Chinese partners to manipulate shipping containers that were flagged for inspection. Authorities have seized over $130 million in contraband. The operation’s main targets were the busiest container ports in the Western Hemisphere, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally, involved dishonest truck drivers, warehouse owners, and logistics firms conspiring to violate U.S. customs regulations. The defendants and their Chinese partners loaded illegal chemicals and counterfeit goods into shipping containers.
By learning the distinct serial numbers of security seals and producing duplicate fake seals, they were able to get around the security system. The fake seals came from China, according to McNally.
Before delivering the containers to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for examination, the seals were cut, the contraband was taken out, and fresh fake seals were put on. In order to transport the containers illegally, truck drivers were paid much more than they would normally be paid.
The conspiracy described in the indictment took place between at least August 2023 and June 2024.
If found guilty, the defendants could receive lengthy prison terms: up to five years for each conspiracy count, ten years for each customs seal violation, and twenty years for each smuggling count.
U.S. officials added that additional similar investigations involving allegations of contraband smuggling are ongoing with more arrests expected.