US intelligence agencies received information about an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump weeks before the July 13 attack at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In response to this threat, the Secret Service increased security measures around Trump. However, despite these enhanced security measures, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks managed to shoot Trump in the ear, kill one attendee, and injure two others during the rally.The Iranian plot is reportedly not connected to Crooks’ assassination attempt. The alleged plot is part of a broader pattern of threats against former Trump administration officials, which began after the US killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, in 2020. Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the US National Security Council, stated, ‘We have been tracking Iranian threats against former Trump administration officials for years. These threats arise from Iran’s desire for revenge for Qassem Soleimani’s death’.Iran has vehemently denied involvement in any assassination plot against Trump. The Iranian mission to the United Nations called the accusations ‘baseless and malicious’. They further stated that Trump is a ‘culprit’ who should be tried and punished for ordering the assassination of General Soleimani.The attack has raised questions about the effectiveness of the increased security measures. The Secret Service and homeland security department are reportedly taking action to adjust resources as needed and are constantly receiving new potential threat information. The FBI is leading the investigation and has found that Crooks acted alone and used a legally purchased AR-15 rifle.
Key points
- US intelligence uncovered an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate former President Trump weeks before the July 13 attack.
- The Secret Service increased security measures around Trump in response to the Iranian threat.
- The actual assassination attempt by Thomas Matthew Crooks is not connected to the Iranian plot.
- Iran has denied involvement in any assassination plot against Trump.
Contradictions👾While the Secret Service increased security measures in response to the Iranian threat, these measures did not prevent the attack by Thomas Matthew Crooks, raising questions about their effectiveness.
