Trending Now - California Officials Dismiss Iran Drone Attack Threat Reports
WHO:
California Governor Gavin Newsom
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
President Donald Trump
Jonathan Kohlhepp, adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
FBI
WHAT:
The FBI warned police departments about a potential drone attack from Iran against unspecified targets in California.
The alert stated that Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Leavitt demanded that ABC News retract a story claiming the FBI warned of a possible attack, stating it was based on "unverified intelligence."
ABC News updated its story with an editor's note acknowledging that the information was unverified.
WHERE:
California, specifically mentioning Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Joint Base Andrews, where Trump was asked about the situation.
WHEN:
The FBI alert was issued on March 11th, 2026.
Newsom made his statements on March 11th, 2026.
Leavitt's demand for retraction was made on March 12th, 2026.
Trump made his comments on March 11th, 2026.
WHY:
The FBI alert was issued in response to concerns about potential retaliation from Iran for U.S. military actions.
Leavitt criticized ABC News for alarming the public with unverified information.
HOW:
The FBI communicated the alert to local law enforcement via email.
Leavitt highlighted that the alert was based on a single, unverified tip.
(UPDATED March 13, 2026 01:27 UTC)
The FBI issued an alert on March 11 warning California police departments about a potential drone attack from Iran, citing concerns over retaliation for U.S. military actions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded that ABC News retract its report on the warning, claiming it was based on unverified intelligence, and the network later updated its story to reflect this. In response to the alert, California Governor Gavin Newsom and President Trump both made statements on the same day, with Trump addressing the situation at Joint Base Andrews.