The White House and others have pushed back on reports that Iran could be targeting California with drone attacks in retaliation for Operation Epic Fury.
ABC reported Wednesday that the FBI had issued a warning to California state police departments that unidentified vessels off the state’s coast could potentially launch drones against unspecified targets in the Golden State. However, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, ABC failed to note that the warning itself cited “unverified” reports.
"This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people," Karoline Leavitt wrote on X, Thursday. "They wrote this based on one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip. The email even states the tip was based on *unverified* intelligence. Yet ABC News left out this critical fact in their story! WHY?"
"TO BE CLEAR: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did," she added.
This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 12, 2026
They wrote this based on one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip. The email even… https://t.co/jKey9ahsNk
The original quote from ABC's reporting reads:
We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, 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. We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.
However, the actual quote began: "We recently acquired unverified information..."
Recommended
On the left is the way ABC (or their source) reported the FBI alert.
— Ben Williamson (@_WilliamsonBen) March 12, 2026
On the right is the actual FBI alert that went to JTFF partners.
You will notice the word left out —“Unverified.” https://t.co/zSBHObisAI pic.twitter.com/XEZPeNKmDA
Even California Governor Gavin Newsom pushed back on claims about possible Iranian drone attacks against the state, assuring Californians that dedicated teams are actively collecting intelligence and working to ensure the state’s security.
I am in constant coordination with security and intelligence officials, including at @Cal_OES, to monitor potential threats to California — including those tied to the conflict in the Middle East.
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) March 11, 2026
While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared…
Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
Help us report the truth about the Trump administration’s decisive actions to keep Americans safe and bring peace to the world. Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member