White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded on Thursday that ABC News retract a story claiming that the FBI has officially warned that Iran may attempt to attack California with drones. ABC News posted on Wednesday, “BREAKING: The FBI has warned police departments in California that Iran wants to retaliate for American attacks by launching offensive drones against the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by @ABC News.”
Leavitt shredded the outlet and the X post, writing, “This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people.”
She added, “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,” Leavitt went on.
She then retweeted a post featuring side-by-side screenshots of the article written by ABC and the FBI alert that was actually sent out. The post from Assistant Director for Public Affairs at the FBI, Ben Williamson, said, “On the left is the way ABC (or their source) reported the FBI alert. On the right is the actual FBI alert that went to JTFF partners. You will notice the word left out —’ Unverified.’”
Eventually, ABC News updated its story with an editor’s note stating, “The FBI has posted a fuller version of its alert to California authorities, which includes that the information was unverified. The latest version of this story has been updated with the full statement.”
Asked about the unverified report in the alert, President Donald Trump noted on Wednesday, “It’s being investigated. But you have a lot of things happening, and all we can do is take them as they come, and the war itself is being prosecuted as well as anybody has ever seen.”
Rump announced Friday evening that the United States military carried out what he described as one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East. The strikes targeted Iranian military facilities on Kharg Island.
Trump revealed the operation in a post on Truth Social. He said U.S. Central Command conducted the strikes.
“Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.”
Trump said the United States intentionally avoided striking key oil infrastructure on the island. He described the decision as an act of restraint.
“Our Weapons are the most powerful and sophisticated that the World has ever known but, for reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island.”
Trump also warned Iran against attempting to disrupt global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is one of the most critical routes for international oil transport.
“However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” Trump said.
He also credited the strength of the U.S. military for the success of the operation. He said the armed forces have been rebuilt into what he called the most lethal military in the world.
“During my First Term, and currently, I rebuilt our Military into the Most Lethal, Powerful, and Effective Force, by far, anywhere in the World,” he noted, adding Iran lacks the capability to defend against U.S. military strikes.