Full Breakdown
Alleged Assassination Plot Targeting Ivanka Trump
5/23/2026, 9:51:26 PM
Plot Details and Allegations
U.S. authorities allege that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a 32-year-old Iraqi national trained by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated with the Kataib Hezbollah militia, pledged to kill Ivanka Trump, the eldest daughter of former President Donald Trump. According to multiple reports, Al-Saadi obtained or discussed obtaining a blueprint of Trump’s $24 million residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and posted the map on the social-media platform X with a threat that “neither your palaces nor the Secret Service will protect you.” He is also said to have sent photographs of a silenced pistol to potential victims via Snapchat. Al-Saadi is currently held in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Background: Soleimani Killing and Iran-Backed Militant Activity
The alleged plot is framed as retaliation for the January 2020 U.S. drone strike in Baghdad that killed IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani. Sources describe Soleimani as Al-Saadi’s mentor. Following that strike, Iran-backed militias, including the IRGC and Kataib Hezbollah, have been linked to a series of attacks on U.S. and Jewish targets across Europe and North America.
Key Figures and Groups
- Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi – suspected assassin, IRGC-trained, Kataib Hezbollah operative.
- Qasem Soleimani – former IRGC Quds Force commander, killed in 2020.
- Entifadh Qanbar – former deputy military attaché at the Iraqi embassy in Washington, provided statements to reporters.
- Department of Justice (DOJ) – filed terrorism-related charges.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche – issued a public statement on the case.
Timeline of Developments
- Jan 2020: U.S. drone strike kills Soleimani.
- May 15 2026: Al-Saadi arrested in Turkey.
- Early May 2026: He is extradited to the United States and charged in New York.
- May 22 2026: The New York Post publishes the first report of the alleged Ivanka-Trump plot.
- May 23 2026: Acting AG Blanche releases a statement on the charges.
Data & Statistics on Terrorist Activities
The DOJ alleges Al-Saadi participated in “nearly 20” attacks and attempted attacks, including:
- Fire-bombing the Bank of New York Mellon building in Amsterdam (March 2026).
- Stabbing two Jewish men in London (April 2026).
- Shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto (March 2026).
- Attempted detonation of explosives at the Bank of America building in Paris.
- Coordinating a thwarted attack on a New York synagogue.
- Molotov-cocktail attack on a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, and arson at a temple in Rotterdam.
Overall, prosecutors cite 18 confirmed attacks across Europe and two additional attacks in Canada.
Official Statements & Responses
The DOJ charged Al-Saadi with six counts of terrorism-related offenses, including supporting a foreign terrorist organization and conspiracy to use explosives. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “These charges show American law enforcement will never let such evil go unchecked and will use all tools to disrupt and dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and their leaders.” The White House declined to comment. Federal officials have not confirmed whether a specific charge directly addresses the alleged plot against Ivanka Trump.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I say to the Americans look at this picture and know that neither your palaces nor the Secret Service will protect you. We are currently in the stage of surveillance and analysis. I told you, our revenge is a matter of time.” — Mohammad Al-Saadi, X post (Arabic translation)
- “I address you while in great shock and intense weakness, a feeling I have never experience in my life except once, at the martyrdom of …Qasem Soleimani,” — Mohammad Al-Saadi, 2025 X post
- “After Qasem was killed, he [Al-Saadi] went around telling people, ‘We need to kill Ivanka to burn down the house of Trump the way he burned down our house.’” — Entifadh Qanbar, former deputy military attaché
- “These charges show American law enforcement will never let such evil go unchecked and will use all tools to disrupt and dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and their leaders,” — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total number of attacks attributed to Al-Saadi: the DOJ describes “nearly 20” attacks, while other filings list “18” attacks across Europe and the United States. Additionally, federal officials have not publicly confirmed whether a distinct charge for the alleged Ivanka-Trump plot has been filed, leaving that element of the case unverified.
What’s Next
Al-Saadi remains in federal custody pending trial on terrorism-related charges. Prosecutors are expected to pursue the full scope of the case, including any specific indictment for the alleged assassination plot, while investigators continue to examine his communications and network ties to IRGC-backed militias.
