Authorities say the accused Iraqi operative linked the threat to retaliation for the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani.
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Federal prosecutors and media reports this week described an alleged assassination plot targeting Ivanka Trump that investigators say was connected to an Iraqi man accused of organizing attacks for Iran-backed militant groups across Europe and North America.
The allegations surfaced after the arrest and extradition of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a 32-year-old Iraqi national charged in federal court in Brooklyn with terrorism-related offenses. Authorities accuse al-Saadi of working with Kata’ib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps while coordinating violent attacks against U.S. and Jewish targets. The reported threat against Ivanka Trump has not been charged separately in court documents, but investigators and sources familiar with the case say the alleged plot was tied to retaliation for the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.
According to accounts from investigators and former Iraqi military official Entifadh Qanbar, al-Saadi became increasingly focused on revenge after Soleimani’s death near Baghdad International Airport six years ago. Qanbar said the suspect openly discussed targeting members of President Donald Trump’s family and specifically mentioned Ivanka Trump during conversations with associates. Prosecutors allege al-Saadi later obtained or reviewed information connected to the Florida neighborhood where Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner live. Reports describing the investigation said the suspect posted online threats in Arabic warning Americans that security protections would not stop future retaliation. Court filings also describe social media activity in which al-Saadi praised Soleimani and referred to fallen Iranian military figures as martyrs. Federal investigators said the suspect traveled extensively across Europe, the Middle East and Asia while allegedly building connections with militant networks and coordinating attacks tied to Iranian-backed organizations.
Justice Department officials said al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey on May 15 while reportedly in transit to Russia before being extradited to the United States. Prosecutors accuse him of participating in or directing nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks involving bombings, arson, shootings and stabbings. The allegations include attacks on synagogues in Belgium and the Netherlands, a shooting near the U.S. consulate in Toronto and firebombing incidents connected to American-linked institutions in Europe. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case reflected an effort by federal agencies to disrupt foreign terrorist operations before additional attacks could occur. Officials also released photographs that prosecutors say show al-Saadi alongside Soleimani and other Iranian military figures. Court filings allege the suspect maintained contact with members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard network even after Soleimani’s death. Investigators said the suspect used encrypted messaging platforms and social media accounts to communicate threats and coordinate travel while maintaining what prosecutors described as a visible online presence.
The allegations arrive amid continuing tensions between the United States and Iran that have persisted since the Soleimani strike during Trump’s first administration. The January 2020 operation killed Soleimani, the longtime leader of the Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Iran vowed retaliation after the strike, and U.S. intelligence officials in the years since have repeatedly warned about threats directed at American officials and associates linked to the operation. Federal prosecutors have previously accused Iranian operatives of plotting attacks or surveillance activities against former U.S. officials connected to national security decisions involving Tehran. Ivanka Trump, who served as a White House adviser during part of her father’s first administration, has largely remained outside day-to-day politics since leaving Washington. She converted to Orthodox Judaism before marrying Kushner in 2009, a detail investigators say may have increased interest from extremist groups already targeting Jewish institutions. Security concerns surrounding members of the Trump family intensified after several threats and attempted attacks involving political figures during recent election cycles.
Federal charges against al-Saadi include conspiring to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations, conspiracy related to acts of terrorism and attempted destruction of property using explosives or fire. Prosecutors said several counts carry potential prison sentences ranging from 15 years to life if the defendant is convicted. Court records indicate the case is being handled in federal court in Brooklyn, where al-Saadi remains in custody under high-security conditions. Investigators said additional evidence review is continuing, including analysis of online communications, travel records and alleged connections to militant groups operating in Iraq and Iran. Authorities have not announced separate criminal charges specifically tied to an assassination conspiracy against Ivanka Trump. Officials also have not publicly described whether any direct operational steps toward an attack inside the United States were completed. The White House has not issued a formal statement addressing the reported allegations, and Ivanka Trump has not commented publicly on the case.
Public reaction to the reports spread quickly across social media and political circles Saturday as conservative lawmakers and commentators pointed to the allegations as evidence of continuing threats linked to Iranian-backed groups. House Republicans posted online that Ivanka Trump remained safe while criticizing Iran’s leadership and describing the alleged threat as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward the United States. Security analysts following Iranian militia activity said the case illustrated how regional militant groups continue to operate internationally years after the Soleimani strike. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a senior fellow who studies Iraqi militias and was previously held hostage in Iraq, told reporters that al-Saadi appeared to maintain close relationships with figures tied to Iran’s security establishment. Prosecutors said the defendant frequently posted photographs from international trips and military-related locations, sometimes posing near weapons or alongside militant figures. Defense attorneys representing al-Saadi have not publicly responded in detail to the allegations outlined by federal prosecutors and investigators.
The federal terrorism case remains active in New York, where prosecutors are expected to continue presenting evidence connected to the broader investigation in the coming weeks. Authorities have not announced a trial date, and officials said additional hearings and evidence disclosures are expected later this year.
Author note: Last updated May 23, 2026.