Iran-tied Pakistani national Asif Merchant pleaded not guilty on Monday to terrorism and murder-for-hire charges for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump.

Merchant arrived in the United States in April after spending time in Iran and allegedly reached out to someone he thought could assist him in killing a politician. The person he contacted reported this to law enforcement, and Merchant later met with “hit men” who were really undercover FBI agents, leading to his arrest in July.