White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday called on ABC News to retract a report claiming the Federal Bureau of Investigation had warned California law enforcement about a possible Iranian drone threat targeting the West Coast.
ABC initially reported that federal authorities had alerted police departments in California that Iran could retaliate for recent U.S. military action by launching offensive drones. Leavitt sharply criticized the report on social media, saying the article relied on a single email containing unverified intelligence and accused the outlet of leaving out a critical detail that could unnecessarily alarm the public. She stated that no confirmed threat from Iran to the U.S. homeland existed and said the report should be withdrawn immediately. Leavitt also shared a post from FBI Assistant Director Ben Williamson, who posted side-by-side images comparing ABC’s report with the original FBI alert. Williamson emphasized that the alert clearly labeled the information as “unverified,” a word he said had been omitted in the original reporting.
ABC later updated its article with an editor’s note acknowledging that the fuller FBI alert included language stating the information had not been verified. When asked about the matter, Donald Trump said the report remained under investigation and noted that officials were monitoring developments as broader military operations continued. Trump also announced that U.S. forces had carried out major strikes against Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, describing the operation as one of the most powerful bombing raids in the region’s history. He said oil infrastructure was deliberately spared but warned Iran against interfering with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. ⚠️🛩️
