President Donald Trump has addressed growing fears that Iranian sleeper cells could strike inside the United States after federal authorities warned that suspicious drones linked to Tehran may have been spotted in California.
Concerns about covert Iranian operatives intensified after U.S. intelligence intercepted encrypted communications believed to have originated inside Iran. Officials said the messages appeared to act as an “operational trigger” intended to activate sleeper agents abroad. Alarm grew even further when the FBI issued an alert to law enforcement agencies across California warning of the possibility of Iranian drone strikes along the West Coast as retaliation for the ongoing U.S. war against Iran.
NOW – Trump says he’s been briefed on Iranian sleeper cells inside the U.S.: “We know where most of them are, we’ve got our eye on all of them—I think.” pic.twitter.com/DXeWGvIYtR
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 12, 2026
Trump addressed the growing security concerns after landing at Joint Base Andrews following a campaign rally in Kentucky, telling reporters that federal authorities are actively examining the drone threat. “It’s being investigated. You have a lot of things happening and all we can do is take them as they come,” the President said.
President Trump also argued that the risk of sleeper cells operating inside the United States had been worsened by immigration policies under former President Joe Biden. Speaking to reporters traveling with him during campaign stops in Ohio and Kentucky, Trump blasted his predecessor as “the worst president in the history of our country.”
🚨🚨 U.S. intelligence officials have intercepted ENCRYPTED communications originating in Iran that likely serve as an “operational trigger” with instructions for sleeper cells operating abroad
The ENCODED alert references “preliminary signals analysis, and was sent to multiple… pic.twitter.com/aYtg9AxxGw
— Jewely💎Blue (@hollywood2pt0) March 9, 2026
Trump said he had already been briefed on the situation and suggested many of the potential threats entered the United States during the previous administration’s border policies. “I have been [briefed] and a lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border,” Trump told reporters. He added that authorities are closely monitoring suspected individuals, saying: “But we know where most of them are. We’ve got our eye on all of them, I think.”
Concerningly, President Trump says the Democrat-led shutdown is hindering the federal government’s ability to effectively protect against potential Iranian sleeper cells operating inside the US.
Reporter: “Has Iran activated any sleeper cells inside the US?”
Trump: “They’ve… pic.twitter.com/w34gMN2xSK
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) March 9, 2026
Trump also pointed the finger at Democrats in Congress, accusing them of hindering efforts to investigate and respond to the growing security threat. The President specifically blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for what he described as a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that he says is preventing his administration from fully addressing the issue.
“One of the things we have to do is get the Democrats to stop the Democrat shutdown because, as you know, the apparatus that looks into that, Schumer and the Democrats have shut it down,” Trump told reporters.
He added that the move demonstrated just how far Democrats were willing to go in opposing his administration, saying it shows they “probably hate our country a lot.”
The FBI alert emerged as the Trump administration continues a sustained military campaign against Iran overseas. According to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News, investigators are examining intelligence suggesting Tehran may have considered launching a surprise drone attack against the United States itself.
“Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran,” the FBI warning stated.
Authorities emphasized that many details about the potential threat remain unclear as the investigation continues. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack,” the FBI update continued.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply pushed back against an ABC News report claiming the FBI warned California law enforcement that Iran was preparing retaliation on U.S. soil following recent American military operations. Leavitt dismissed the report as false, insisting there has been no such threat to the United States. “There is no such threat from Iran to our homeland, and there never was,” she wrote on X, adding that the network should retract the story for spreading misinformation. “This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information intended to alarm the American people.”
Security officials say the concern over drones is not limited to foreign adversaries overseas. Mexican drug cartels have increasingly deployed drones in recent months, heightening concerns about security along the southern border and the safety of law enforcement officers operating in the region.
A government bulletin issued last September warned that authorities had received an unconfirmed tip suggesting cartel leaders may have approved drone attacks against American law enforcement or military personnel stationed along the border. Trump officials noted that such an attack would represent an unprecedented escalation on U.S. soil, but said the possibility could not be dismissed — even though cartels have historically avoided actions that might provoke a powerful response from Washington.
Authorities have also acknowledged lingering concerns that Iran could “forward-deploy” drone technology or other hardware ahead of a potential military confrontation with the United States or Israel, though investigators have not revealed how any drone-capable vessels might approach American waters.
The emerging drone threats come alongside a growing cyber war between Tehran and Western targets. On Wednesday, Michigan-based medical technology giant Stryker suffered a global outage that left thousands of employees unable to access company systems, in what officials said was part of a broader cyber offensive believed to be linked to Iran.
Federal investigators continue working to determine whether the various threats — from drones to cyberattacks — are connected to Tehran’s escalating confrontation with Washington. Trump sought to reassure Americans that U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies remain on high alert as the situation develops.
“We’re ready for anything,” the president said. “Our country is protected, and we’re not going to allow anyone to terrorize the American people.” The investigation into the California drone threat remains ongoing as authorities attempt to determine whether the warnings reflect a credible plot or a precautionary alert tied to the growing conflict with Iran.
